Selected Twins
by shadeslayerprincess111
Summary: What twin sisters Nat and Nicole never expected was that both of them would be in the second Selection of the era-or how hard it would be with 34 other girls there to compete with. As Prince Ethan has to overcome his shyness, please his father and amount to his older brother, tensions rise in Illea and a revolution gains strength. (AU, old syoc, extremely long, multi character)
1. Form and Nicole's Intro

Nicole was glad to stay home today. It was chilly and rainy and the perfect day to stay home. She wished she still could, but now that her sister Eva was old enough to babysit her other sister Lea, she had been working at the clothing factory with her mother for almost a year. But Eva had come down with a bad cold, so Nicole was allowed to stay home, at least for today, to watch Lea. She was curled up on the couch in the front room, a blanket draped over her legs. Eva was watching TV and Lea was happily playing on the floor. Nicole watched the rain streak down the window of their apartment. She loved the rain. She smiled and went back to reading. She had just finished preparing dinner, and the chicken pot pie was baking now.

Today had been perfect. No sewing on the scary machines and the endless maddening clatter of the factory. Just the cozy apartment, and spending time with her sisters. And, of course, she had finally had time to dance. When Eva had decided to take a nap, Lea had too, giving Nicole time to sneak into her and Nat's room and slip into her pointe shoes. Only Nat knew about this, but being her identical twin, she was entitled to know, of course. Nicole had always been a dancer. Even when she was little. She begged and begged her parents to go to the ballet whenever a company came to Kent, but, being poor Fours, they never had enough money. Only Twos and Threes could afford that luxury. So, when she was twelve, Nicole snuck in. She found a small place in an abandoned loft that had once been used for lighting, but the floors had been too old and creaky, so a new one was built. It was just to the right of the stage, the best seat. All she had to do was sneak into the back door that led out into the alley and go up the stairs through a door. It was the first door in the hallway, so it was perfect.

Then, whenever a ballet company was preforming in the theater downtown, Nicole would sneak into her loft and record their training on her old camera. She would practice at night in her room. She'd been doing it for five years. She secretly bought books to further her training, using the money she had made mending for whoever hired her in their apartment building. Of course, now that she worked, she no longer had time to do that. Nicole had never had enough money to buy pointe shoes, so she'd stolen them out of the dressing rooms. Anything else could be done in bare feet.

But she dared not tell her dad. If he found out…well, he would put an immediate stop to it. It wasn't that he was mean, he just wanted his kids to work hard and make enough money to live comfortably, even as Fours. Ballerinas were Twos, but Nicole was a Four. She was stuck. She glanced at the clock. The rest of her family should be coming home soon-Dad, Jason, and Nat from the farm, and Mom from the factory. She quickly reconsidered Nat. Her twin would probably want to spend Friday night with her boyfriend, Ben. A knock at the door interrupted her musings. She quickly got to her feet, and smoothed a hand over her dark curls. If it was someone from her family, they would just unlock the door. She hurried to the door, and opened it.

"Hi, Nic!" Her second best friend-besides Nat, of course-Chris Johansson stood outside, getting soaked by the downpour. Unfortunately, they lived on the outside part of the apartment building, facing the street. N stair access was inside, instead, the hallway was outside, like a hotel, and uncovered.

"Chris, come in, you'll get soaked!" She said, ushering him in. "How did you know I'd be here?" Nicole said. Chris shook the droplets from his blonde hair, and laughed.

"Oh, easy. I smelled your cooking and knew it was you." He grinned at her.

"My parents should be home soon, unless the rain held them up. I'm sure you can stay for dinner." Nicole said.

"I wish I could, but I promised Marjorie I'd take her out. I just wanted to return the book you gave me." Chris said.

"Oh, did you like it?" Nicole asked excitedly, hoping Chris would stay a while longer. He had been going out with Marjorie for less than a month, and now Nicole hardly ever saw him.

"Yeah, it was fantastic." Chris said, checking his watch. Nicole tried not to frown.

"Do you want to borrow another one?" She asked.

"I want to, but I really have to get going." Chris said. "Sorry, Nicole, Marjorie doesn't like it when I'm late."

"Oh, of course, silly me. I'm sorry." Nicole tried to laugh it off, but it still hurt.

"I'll see you later, okay?" Chris started to make his exit.

"Bye, Chris." Nicole said, closing the door behind him as he left. She sighed. She hoped Ben treated Nat the way she knew Chris would treat Marjorie. Why was it that everyone was in love but her?

…

**(Prepare yourself for a ridiculously long but important authors note!)**

**Finally! I've been wanting to do that all summer, but I made myself promise I would only work on two stories at a time. Well, I'm almost done with my story on FictionPress (The Hunt, check it out!) and I only have one chapter to go! I'm still going to be writing my H2O story, too, so if you read that, don't worry! But I'll go ahead and start this! It's an SYOC (Submit Your Own/Original Character) about an upcoming Selection. Both Nicole and her twin Natalia are going to be contenders, but someone else might win entirely. I don't know yet! So I'll need 33 girls! I probably will choose four or five of my favorite characters and write from their POV too, but in third person. I'm not sure if I'll write from the prince's POV…I still need to create him….**

**Rules:**

**-PM characters only, unless you're a guest**

**-You cannot submit a character to me that's in another Selection syoc. (And I read all of them, so I'll know. At least change the name!)**

_**-Be detailed and creative! (**_**If your character lacks details or uniqueness, they'll be the first to go. On the other hand, I don't want Mary-Sues, so learn the difference. No super powers or anything like that, no different colored eyes or crazy hair colors or ridiculous names.)**

**Also, there are a few sections where you can use pictures. You have to post them on your profile, or it won't work, but tell me if you are! There's also a list of caste and corresponding job ideas initially done by **Funny Owls **I adapted. You can make up stuff though! I also included italics in the form for ideas and help. You don't have to answer everything in italics, they're just ideas!**

**Note: There's a list of provinces and the corresponding girl and a clean copy and paste-able form on my profile. Also, this is before the actual books. And Kent is taken as a province, as is Yukon (You'll see why later). **

SYOC FORM:

Name: _(a good rule of thumb is to make sure it's easy to spell)_

Nickname, if any:

Age (15-19):

Province: (_check the list on my profile!) _

Caste: (_I included a list of castes and corresponding jobs below, but you're not limited to that) _

Occupation: (_See above!) _

Appearance: (_Specifically hair color and description, eye color, skin tone, general height/weight. Some makeover ideas would be awesome, as would pre-Selection clothes! You can post a link to a picture on your profile, but make them age appropriate if their celebrities) _

Personality: (_BE DESCRIPTIVE! ideas-good and bad traits, fears, likes, dislikes, drives, motives, ambitions, how they would react to certain situations, why they are like this etc. You can be somewhat stereotypical) _

Hobbies: 

Family: (_Names at the very minimum, but some personality and job description would be helpful. Not everyone has to have twin siblings)_

History/Background:

Previous Romantic History, if any: (_boyfriend, engaged, kissed, crushes, etc_.)

Describe what they would wear during the Selection: (_You can post as many links to pictures as you want on your profile! But let me know! Make sure you also write stuff too, of course! Include stuff like colors, styles, straps, even shoes and jewelry, even what they don't like (in writing)) _

Makeup and Hair: (_You can post as many links as you want on your profile! in addition, write a little about Pre Selection and Post-Selection, though) _

Where would they like their first date to be?: (_Just ideas!)_

Ambitions for the Selection: (_Why they applied, what they want-love, money, fame etc) _

**Optional**: Briefly describe their three maids: (_At least names) _

**Optional**: How do they treat their maids, other girls in the competition, royal family?: 

**Caste/occupations ideas: (you can make up your own) these can apply to their parents, and they can be in school or training. **

**Ones: **Royalty

**Twos: **Celebrities, including actors, singers, models, professional athletes and dancers, politicians, police, military, guards, fashion designers, movie directors.

**Threes: **Educators of any kind, scientists, writers, doctors, veterinarians, dentists, architects, engineers, lawyers, therapists, bankers, professional cooks and bakers, owners of large scale factories, farms, companies, etc.

**Fours: **Farm workers, factory workers of any kind, real estate agents, owners of shops, hotels, restaurants, managers of any kind, electricians, line cooks, small scale bakers.

**Fives: **Classically trained singers and musicians, artists, live theater actors

**Sixes: **Maids, secretaries, waiters, housekeepers, taxi drivers, store clerks, non- factory seamstresses and other workers, like carpenters, etc.

**Sevens: **Gardeners, construction workers, outdoor workers, burlesque dancers, unemployed

**Eights: **orphans, prostitutes, run-aways, addicts, any mentally or physically disabled, no matter who they live with

**Happy creating! **


	2. Races and Lies

**Yay, still waiting for submissions! Huge thanks **majestictales, RosemaryAlysse, WaffleManiac, and mnvbcxc-xx **for submitting, **majestictales, delovlies (**my own twin) for the follow! I decided, as illegal as it is, guests can submit, and I revamped my PMS rant in the form part of the last chapter, so hopefully less people are scared away. Submit away! **

**This introduces Nicole's twin, Natalia!**

…

Natalia inconspicuously brushed her hair from her eyes, and glanced down the barn's aisle. Ben caught her eye and winked at her. Nat bit her lip to keep from grinning, and went back to brushing her last horse.

"You about done, Nat?" Jason, her brother, aid, coming up behind her. "Dad's ready to go." He wiped his dirty hands on his equally dirty jeans. Rain was nice, if you were curled up inside under a blanket, but not if you had been working all day. Nat looked down at her own muddy jeans and sweatshirt. Mom wouldn't like that.

"Oh. Actually, I'm going out with Ben tonight." Nat said, as innocently as she could. It was only partly true, but she knew Dad would never consent if he knew what she was actually doing tonight.

"Am I supposed to tell him that?" Jason said.

"Well, you used to make me and Nic tell him when you were going out with that Six he totally disapproved off." Nat teased.

"Hey, Georgia was hot." Jason said, grinning. "Ben's not." He said jokingly.

"Whatever. Can you just tell him I'll be home before eight?" Nat said.

"Aw, sure. What are brothers for, anyway?" Jason said, turning to leave. "Don't have too much fun, kids. You know the rules."

"Yeah, you don't have to remind me." Nat called after him. She gave her horse a final pat and exited the stall, creeping outside. She watched from the cover of the dark eve of the barn as her dad pulled out of the parking lot, leaving it deserted, except for Ben's car. Actually, it was his and his brothers, but still. Nat dashed back into the barn.

"Everyone's gone." She said breathlessly, excitement building in her chest. This was going to be night she wouldn't soon forget. Ben stepped out of the stall he was in, fighting back a grin of his own.

"Go turn on the car and let it warm up." Ben said. "It's getting cold here." He tossed her the keys from his pocket. Nat quickly did as she was told, trying not to get wet. Still, by the time she had run back to the barn, she was soaked.

"Ready?" She asked Ben. He came out of the tack room, slinging his backpack over his shoulder.

"Yup." He said, handing her own bag. "We'll change when we get there. Are you nervous?" He said.

"Of course I'm nervous! I feel like I'm going to throw up. It happens every time."

"You've been doing it for almost two months." Ben said, draping his arm over her shoulder and pulling her close. "You'll get used to it." He dropped the tiniest kiss on her nose.

"Still, what if we get caught? We're Fours."

"We won't get caught." Ben reassured her. "If you don't want to, we don't have to."

"Are you kidding? Racing is…the best thing ever." Nat said. "C'mon, let's go." She and Ben dashed to his car, and quickly climbed in. Ben eased the car into drive, and exited the worker's parking lot. Nat pulled her knees up to her chest and let her mind drift. Ever since she was old enough, she had worked here, on this farm. She had started out cleaning stalls and such, then a groom, now an exercise rider. The owner, a wealthy Three, was hardly ever here, since his wife and daughter hated living on the upscale farm. They spent most of their time living in a posh house in the cities. But Nat loved it. Dad and her older brother Jason worked in the fields, planting and harvesting crops and tilling the fields and cutting hay, but she had always worked with the owner's prized Thoroughbreds. Unfortunately, as exercise rider didn't make much. So, when Ben told her how made extra money, Nat had jumped at the chance.

It was basically black market horse racing. Most jockeys were Sevens, unless they were born Twos and were good enough to be professional. Nat was a Four, but no one had to know that. She was small, and weighed less than male jockeys. Also, she was good. She couldn't ride without missing work except in stakes races, usually at night. Ben and his brothers had been doing it for two years, now, and helped her get hired in her first few races. But tonight was different. This wasn't so called 'black market' racing. This was the real deal. If she won in the two races she had been hired in, she would have way more than the twenty bucks she usually got.

She and Ben spent the rest of the trip in silence. They pulled into the parking lot of the track, and Ben pulled into a parking lot. Nat released a shaky breath. If she won just one race tonight, she would make a little over one hundred and fifty dollars. That was a lot of money, considering she barely made seventeen dollars for black market racing, and only was paid four dollars an hour on a daily basis. If she kept it up, Nicole wouldn't have to steal ballet shoes and maybe even go to the ballet next time a company performed in Kent. They would maybe even be able to afford a nicer apartment, and Jason could go back to school, and Nicole could stay home and tutor Lea and Eva.

"Hey, you'll be fine." Ben said gently, taking the keys from the ignition. "It's your first real race. It's no big deal if you lose."

"Yeah, it is. If I lose, I won't get hired to ride again. Plus I could get hurt."

"You'll be fine, trust me." Ben said, reaching for her hand and squeezing it.

"How many races are you riding in?" Nat said, trying to distract herself.

"Four. I'll be riding against you in your first. Speaking of which, we got to get going." Ben said, unlocking his door, and sliding out. Nat did the same on her side, grabbing her bag. She and Ben jogged through the parking lot, and into the barns.

"Where do we get changed?" Nat said. Real jockeys couldn't just wear jeans.

"I'll show you." Ben said, just as Nat noticed they passed the dressing rooms.

"We just passed the dressing rooms." She said.

"I know. I'll tell you in a second." Ben suddenly yanked her into a small hallway off the main barn aisle and stalls, and stopped in front of a small closet door. He jiggled the knob, and hefted his weight against it. Reluctantly, the door opened, and Ben pulled Nat inside behind him.

"What are you doing?" Nat said.

"Quick, get changed." Ben kicked off his muddy sneakers, and pulled his shirt over his head.

"Um, a little privacy would be nice." Nat said. Ben turned his back toward her.

"I won't look. But hurry, we don't have much time."

"Why can't we change in a dressing room or a bathroom like normal people?" Nat said, unzipping her bag and pulling out her white riding pants. She took off her shoes, and hesitantly unzipped her jeans and slipped out of them.

"We're Fours. Fours aren't jockeys. Sevens can be, and so can Twos, if they're pros."

"Well, I know that." Nat said, somewhat annoyed as she wadded up her sweatshirt and stuffed it in her bag. There was no way she was going to change bras here, though. She pulled on the thin, long-sleeved white turtle neck, one that Ben had given her that didn't fit him anymore. She would get her silks from the horse's owner later. She put her riding boots back on. They were muddy and worn out, but they would have to work.

"So, we can't change with the other jockeys, because we're illegal."

"What happens if you get caught?" Nat said, zipping her bag and scooping her curls into a ponytail.

"I don't know. But I know it ain't good, so we have to be careful. You ready?" Ben said, still keeping his back to her.

"Yeah." Nat twisted a hair tie around her ponytail.

"Just leave your bag here. Let's go."

…

Nat tried not to panic as the attendant led her mount into the starting gate. The big black gelding snorted, and flattened his ears.

"It's okay, big boy." Nat whispered to him. "You'll get to leave in a second. Just run away from it." Her shaking hands were gripping the reins so tight, her knuckles were white. She glanced down the row of horses, spotting Ben in blue and gray silks, contrasting her own black and white. He grinned at her, and gave her an indiscreet nod. She smiled back, and tensed her body, waiting for the bell and the opening of the gates. The gelding stopped fidgeting, and tensed under her. Suddenly, she faintly registered the gates opening, and the horse springing forward. She rose higher in the stirrups, barely crouching over the horse's withers. The animals around her bunched up in a clump, blocking her in. She gritted her teeth, and waited for a hole to open up. The horses sped around the first corner, still bunched together. She spotted Ben for a second, his horse surging up on the outside. But Nat was trapped against the rail.

"C'mon, boy!" She shouted, the wind snatching away her words. She shifted her weight, suspended above the horse. Ahead of her was a solid wall of other horses. She was stuck. The horses had nearly reached the second and last turn when one of the horses in front of her made its move and began eating up ground as it headed toward the front. As soon as the hole opened up, Nat made her move. She _thwacked _the horse twice on the rump with her crop, and shortened the reins, urging the horse forward. But it was too late. By the time she had gotten herself out of the hole, the horses were approaching the wire. She whipped her horse again, easing her hands up its neck. Flecks of foam coated the horse's neck, and she could tell he was running as hard as he could, but there was no way to catch the frontrunners-including Ben. She managed fifth place out of twelve. She wouldn't even make five bucks by the time she paid her tack fee. The second race wasn't much better. She went for the hole as soon as it opened, but it was too early and although she held first for the backstretch, the horse was worn out and they were passed before they could win. She took fourth, which wasn't much better.

…

By the time Ben dropped her off, it was almost nine, so Nat knew she was in trouble. She smelled of horse, even though she had changed into a clean pair of jeans and black flannel button down so her parents would think that she had indeed been on a date, and not doing something well below her caste. She didn't let Ben kiss her goodbye or walk her to her apartment. He had won two of the four races, including the one they had ridden in together, and he had taken second for the other two, which annoyed Nat's competitive nature. She hoped to make a quiet entry, but she was supposed to home before nine, not thirty minutes after. She quickly let herself in, and tossed her keys in her bag. Since the front room served not only as the foyer, but also the living room, dining room, and part of the kitchen, everyone witnessed her entry.

…

Nicole looked up when she heard Nat unlock the door. She saw her twin looking tired, her hair a wreck, so she knew Nat had been racing again.

"I'm sorry I'm late." Nat said, overly cheerful to Nicole's ears. "There was an accident on highway, and traffic was backed up." Nicole shot a glance at her dad. He didn't buy it.

"You didn't even have permission to go out tonight, especially not with Ben."

"I'm sorry, Dad." Nat was always quick to apologize. "I told Jason to tell you…"

"You need to ask your mother or me next time." He said. "I trust you weren't doing anything we wouldn't disapprove of?" He shot her a questioning glance, and Nicole heard Eva stifle a giggle. For once she was glad she didn't have a boyfriend.

"No, um, we just went out to dinner." Nat said quickly.

"Good. Since you've already had your dinner, you don't need to eat again. The Report will start soon." Dad turned his attention back to the screen, signaling the conversation was over. Nicole saw her sister wilt a little with relief, and quickly make her escape to their room. She quietly got up from the couch and followed her. She found Nat in the single bathroom, washing a white shirt and mud splattered pair of once white pants in the bathtub.

"I take it you raced again?" Nicole said quietly. Nat made a noise like a snort, and attacked the pants with soap. Luckily, the mud was fresh and came off fairly easily.

"If you could call it that." Nat said. "And it was the real deal." She jerked the garments from the bathtub, and huffed off to their room. She opened the window and draped the clothes outside on the rusty fire escape. "Don't tell Mom and Dad about it." She slammed the window, and Nicole shivered as she felt the nip of frosty air. She hugged her sweater tighter.

"You know I won't." She promised.

"Thanks, Nic. I knew I could count on you."

"Well, I've been dancing a lot longer than you've been riding, so we're equal." Nicole teased.

"Shoot, I'm starving. I need a bath, too."

"The Report starts in less than ten minutes." Nicole reminded her. Nat opened the drawer of their bureau and whipped out a pair of gray sweat pants and a clean sweatshirt.

"Done." Nat said. "Plenty of time for a shower."

"Not really." Nicole said, grinning at her defiantly non analytical twin.

"It is for me, sister dearest." Nat teased, flouncing down the hallway.

…

**Now be awesome and review, submit, follow, fav, whatever!**


	3. Report Announcements

**Still waiting for submissions, so submit away! Thanks to my new submitters: **Demigod-Gallhager-Witch-Girl, Isis of Versailles, Vulkolak, Lost Daughter of Gallifrey, TheGirlWithTheRainbowTattoo, EruditeAbnegationMockinjay, Guest **and **delovlies! **For reviewing- thanks **PrincessIndia, mnbvcxz-xx, delovlies. **For favoring and following-thanks **Isis of Versailles, delovlies, andPrincessIndia.

…

Nat quickly toweled off and threw on the clean clothes. She was starving, but having lied about her whereabouts, she wasn't going to get to eat until tomorrow. She scooped her soaking wet dark curls into a bun, and slipped into a sweatshirt, and hurried into the living room, hearing the talking of the rest of her family start up again as commercials began again. She quickly settled onto the carpet, leaning against the couch, taking a moment to glance at each family member. Her mom was sitting on the ripped easy chair, with eight year old Lea on her lap. Dad, Jason, and Nicole were squeezed on the couch, with thirteen year old Eva sitting next to Nat on the floor. She ignored the growling in her stomach, and turned her attention to the Report, which had just changed back from commercials. Nat barely registered the playing of the anthem as she felt the familiar once-a-week excitement build in her stomach.

The emblem of Illea faded, and the royal family and advisors appeared. King Jackson stood behind the podium with his advisors on one side, and the rest of the royals on the other. Closest to the king was his wife, the beautiful Queen Francesca, resplendent in a full skirted burgundy gown embellished with bronze accents, had her russet curls loosely pinned up.

Next was the oldest prince and the heir to the throne, the crown Prince Andrew had his arm draped around his wife of two years, Christine. His hair was the same dark red-brown as his mothers, while the former Three turned princess had light blonde straight hair, and was skinny, almost like a little bird. She was smiling shyly, her hands tight around the fitted skirt of her light peach-pink dress, complete with a silk bodice that flowed erratically into tulle ruffles.

Next to her was Princess Michelle, a princess of the blood. Her hair was nearly black, like her father's, lay straight down her back. She wore a dramatic mermaid style gown, with a bright turquoise top, with a splash of black lace on one side, and black gauzy skirt. Then there was Prince Ethan, whose dark hair and tanned skin made his just as attractive as his older brother. He seemed nervous, as usual. Finally, there was young Prince Wesley, who stood there beaming, his mop of red hair the same as his mothers, but curly, unlike Andrew's.

"Good Evening, Citizens of Illea." King Jackson began, in his somewhat cold voice. "We have some very important announcements this evening. The first of it is very terrible, but hopefully the rest will lift your spirits."

Nat sighed. She was starving, and the way the king obviously read off a teleprompter wasn't distracting her. She shifted positions.

"As you all know, during the past year, groups of rebels have been challenging Illea in small, coordinated attacks, throwing the country into a small civil war. We have not had to deploy a draft for more than our standing army, since we are not currently fighting a war. The Illean National Guard and Militia have been able to hold off the worst of the rebel attacks. However, this past week, the rebels launched a full scale attack, specifically on the citizens of the Northern Province Yukon. Just this morning, they managed to seize control. While we have heard rumors that the governor of Yukon his been killed, we believe he is still alive, but being detained by the rebel force. There were no civilian casualties, but 38 of our soldiers were lost in the fighting. Please join me in a moment of silence for our fallen heroes."

Nat studied the royal family as they all bowed their head respectively. For a moment, there was nothing but quiet. _Oh, c'mon. You don't have to put on such a show. _She mused. Eventually, King Jackson cleared his throat and everyone looked up.

"And now onto better news." He said. "We have an important announcement. Two years ago, my oldest son, Andrew, went through the Selection at twenty. He met his beautiful wife, our princess and future queen Christine. My next oldest, Michelle, is in the process of engagement to marry the crown prince of Italy, Prince Orlando Vittorio. However, my third son, Prince Ethan, is nearing twenty, and we are excited to announce his Selection will be underway soon. All the young women in Illea will soon be reviving their application forms, and hopefully should be at the palace within a month. Sadly, though, since the province Yukon is out of our control, we will randomly be selecting another province and randomly selecting another candidate from that province, to honor our fellow Illeans of Yukon."

"Oh, Mom, can I please sign up?" Eva cried, begging.

"You have to be sixteen, hon." Mom said.

"So Nat and Nic can sign up?"

"If we want to." Nat said. "Now be quiet. I want to watch the rest."

…

Nicole studied Prince Ethan. After all, she was going to enter the Selection, and she just might be lucky enough to get it. Of course, Nat would beat her out if they had to choose between the twins. Her face was fuller, and her eyelashes were longer. She was just prettier. Anyway, Prince Ethan might not ever meet her, but he was still nice to look at, with his dark brown hair just long enough to fall in his deep hazel-y eyes. Unlike his brothers, he always seemed nervous and uncomfortable on the Report. But who wouldn't? Nicole herself definitely would.

Somehow, she messed the rest of the Report, but all that happened interviews with the royals. Michelle seemed excited about meeting her future fiancé, Christine wasn't pregnant this week either, and Andrew still wasn't regretting his choice of wife. Ethan was nervous about the Selection, and Wesley grinned mischievously about it and said he couldn't wait. Nicole considered the Selection. Should she enter? _Do I want to be a princess? I wouldn't be Queen, since Ethan isn't the oldest, but still, a princess. I guess I will. What do I have to lose? _

…

**Usually, 1000 words is my bare minimum to update, but I'll do short updates until I get more characters, so my story goes to the top of the listing. If you haven't submitted, reviewed, followed, or favorite, I will love you forever if you do! Make sure, though, if you submit, to look at the list on my profile to see which provinces and names aren't taken. I also listed the castes and provinces, so try to do more variety. I now have a lot of Threes and Fours, as well as bakers and girls in the military, so try not to do those! I really appreciate you guys!**


	4. Loyalty as a Twin

**Okay, so just to make sure, PM/ review me if you did links on your profile for dresses and stuff. I have them for: Hana, Katherine, Elvira, Felicity, Adele, Cordelia, Meagan and Gracie. If these are your characters, you can take the links off, since I have them copied! Guests, I'm sorry, LINKS DO NOT SHOW UP IN REVEIWS or PM's! Please make an account, or make your characters better!**

**Also, if you just make a character, and never read it or anything, your character will probably be eliminated, so at least follow! Speaking of which, thanks to everyone who reviewed, followed, favorite, and submitted**\- mnbvcxz-xx, delovlies, RadicalKiwi, RosemaryAlysse, Fairy not princess, **and all the guests, I guess. A huge shoutout/hug/thanks to** zanzibaby **for submitting an awesome character, following, and favoriting and just being generally awesome!**

**To my guest reviewer- ** \- **I'm very willing to do up to Sevens, I would prefer if you didn't do an Eight, but you can, if you really want to or have already started. They better have a good reason, though, for being selected! I hope you submit, and sorry I couldn't get back to you until now, I couldn't PM you or anything!**

**To "**N**" who created Lilly, if you want a different last name, just review it, and I'll be happy to change it!**

**Also, if you create a character, PLEASE CHECK MY PROFILE FIRST! I have a lot of Threes, Fours, and Fives so try to do Sixes and Sevens, and even a few Twos, as long as they're not actresses. I already have two writers and military girls and multiple bakers, musicians and actresses, so please don't do any more of those. Also, make them unique! Nice and shy at first is not good enough! Your character will be eliminated if they suck! BE CREATIVE PLEASE!**

**(Sorry for that, my author's notes are waay too long, but I'm frustrated by lack of good characters!) **

…

Nicole rose on pointe, extending her leg behind her in an arabesque, and leaned forward until her legs were nearly in a straight line. She gripped the windowsill and stretched. If she kept it up, she would nearly be able to go straight. _What for? _ She sighed and straightened back to normal, sitting with an un-graceful plop onto her bed. She pulled her feet onto her bed, and carefully unlaced the worn out pointe slippers. _I'm a Four. I'm not supposed to be a ballerina. I can't just be a Two because I want to. _She slid her toes from the slippers, pensive. Three nights ago on the Report, the Selection had been announced, and today, her letter should come. She couldn't wait. There was the tiniest chance she might be chosen. It was her ticket out of here. If she was selected, even if she was the first to leave, she would still be a Three. And then, hopefully, she could marry a Two and then she would able to become a professional dancer. She sighed. It all was a big '_If'. _A huge '_if'_. There were millions of girls in Illea, and thousands in Kent alone. Who was she, a scrawny, boring, rather plain Four? Even Nat would get picked over her.

Nicole looked towards Nat's bed, parallel to her own, and then stood up, and went to the mirror. It was evening, but Nat, Dad, and Jason were still driving home from the farm they worked it, unless Nat was going to race again. Mom had gone to the grocery store with Lea and Eva. It was the perfect time to work on her dancing, but after only fifteen minutes, worries had forced Nicole to stop. It was silly, but she needed to practice her look in the mirror for the photo on the Selection application. She studied herself. Dark brown curls. Blah. She peered closer, noticing some almost caramel colored streaks here and there, but they were hardly noticeable. She decided her favorite feature was her eyes, a deep green hazely color. She wrinkled her nose at the beginnings of a breakout on her chin, and rubbed at the smattering of freckles across her nose. As usual, they didn't go away. She stepped back. She and Nat had always had high metabolism, but didn't exactly have too much in the curve department-good for ballerinas and jockeys, she supposed. They were a little on the tall side, too. Nicole hugged her favorite cream drape-y sweater to her shoulders, and turned around. Not ugly, but not exactly super model- goddess either. She sighed. She turned around the small room of the apartment, stopping to study the window looking out to the fire escape. Nat always teased her for analyzing the heck out of everything, but that's just the way she was. She practiced a few smiles in the mirror, but gave up. Maybe some makeup would help. She didn't wear it hardly ever, just because she was always at home or at the factory with no one to impress. She hated being a Four. And she hated the castes.

Even though she was in the dead middle of the castes, it was still the middle. But they were on the low end of the Fours, since they didn't own a small business or anything. She heard someone unlocking the front door, and scurried down the hall to the front room to open it for them, passing the bedrooms. Nicole's hand closed on the knob a second after Nat turned it open.

"Sorry, I almost made it." Nicole said.

"Too slow!" Nat teased, stepping in. "Dad and Jason stopped to mail the rent."

"Did you get the mail?" Nicole asked eagerly. Nat reached into the pocket of her dirty light jacket and took out two large envelopes-now slightly crumpled.

"Yeah. Daughter of Illea, it is your destiny to become a princess in the Selection!" Nat said playfully, bestowing the thick envelope with much unnecessary gusto to Nicole. "Are you really going to enter?" She said. Nicole winced inwardly at Nat's comment. Her twin obviously had a different view on it than she.

"Um, yes?" She said hesitantly. "I thought it might be…you know, fun. It's not like I'll get picked or anything, but still…"

"Whatever. I'm not wasting my time lowering my self-confidence."

"What do you mean?" Nicole forced herself not to open the letter. She recognized the tone in Nat's voice. She was upset. Really upset.

"Nothing. I'm boring, anyway. And if I put that I'm a Four doing a Seven's job, I don't think not getting picked is the worst thing that would happen." Nat looked away, so Nicole knew she was trying to change the topic.

"What's wrong?" She asked. "Don't try to lie to me, because I know you're upset."

"How can you tell?"

"Call it secret twin communication stuff. C'mon, spill. What's wrong?"

"I was supposed to ride today." Nat said quietly. "I actually got hired after losing so badly on Friday."

"Did you lose again?" Nicole asked gently. Nat shook her head, and Nicole knew she was suddenly on the verge of crying.

"I didn't even get the chance." Nat said, her tone choked with bitterness. She yanked her arms out of the sleeves of her jacket, and jammed it on the hook for jackets.

"Why not?" Nicole said, as her sister stormed down the hall to their room.

"Because I was overweight!" Nat yelled over her shoulder, her bitterness turned to anger. "You had to be under 120, and I'm 122."

"But you're not fat." Nicole said, trying to make her feel better. "I don't even weigh that much. You're super skinny."

"Yeah, well not skinny enough." Nat said. "Or small enough."

"What does this have to do with the Selection, then?" Nicole asked as Nat slumped defeated on her bed.

"I just don't want to." Nat said softly. Nicole tried a different tactic.

"It's okay. I know you don't want to enter because you know I'm drop-dead gorgeous." Nicole teased.

"Hey, we're identical, you know." She said, lightly punching Nicole's arm. "We look the same, so I'll take that as a complement."

"C'mon, Nat, please enter." Nicole begged. "It'll be fun!"

"No-o, it's dumb." Nat said lazily as she flopped backwards on the bed.

"What have you got to loose, anyway? It's not like we'll be picked or anything."

"Time, pencil lead, and Ben is what I have to lose. If I enter, it's kind of like cheating on him."

"So don't tell him." Nicole said, crossing her legs. "Please? It'll be fun."

"No, it won't."

"So, think of it as a twin bonding exercise." Nicole slid her fingernail underneath the envelope opening thing, breaking the glue seal.

"Okay, fine!" Nat said. "But you can't tell Ben."

"I won't. I promise."

"Do you swear on your loyalty as a twin?" Nat said. It was the one thing the girls had never broken.

"I swear."

…

**HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY OWN TWIN **delovlies**! **

**Remember to submit, follow, fav, and review! **

**Also, apparently Kiera Cass is writing another book in the trilogy!**


	5. A dream is a wish your heart makes

**Just to let everyone know, when I said no more bakers and stuff last time, it's not that I have anything against bakers, I just didn't want **_**any more **_**bakers, writers, or military girls because I already have a few of each, and I like them, but I just want more variety for future submissions! I know, I know, I'm demanding, but hey. **

**So lots of reviews, follows and favs last time, but only two submissions. So, a big thank you to all of you guys-especially **Booklover0717 **and **zanzibaby **(twice)** **for submitting. Also, to** mnbvcxz-xx, Lost Daughter of Gallifrey, IsisofVersailles, Demigod-Gallagher-Witch-Girl, **and the guests for reviewing**, Demigod-Gallagher-Witch-Girl, Booklover0717, and PEETAMELLARKLOVER123 **for following and/or favorite-ing! **

**Shout out especially to **Isis of Versailles **for giving me a shout out in her (closed) Selection SYOC story! Check it out! **

**Okay, this chapter includes both Nat and Nicole filling out their forms as well as introducing two new characters, Adele and Felicity! **

…

"Great. Should we mention we're twins?" Nat said.

The twins were sprawled on the floor of their bedroom, the late afternoon sun spilling through the window leading out to the fire escape and making a strange window shadow on the floor. Nicole considered the question, bringing the pencil to her lips.

"Nah, they'll probably figure it out. Besides, there's nowhere to put that." She scanned the sheet of expensive paper.

"You're right. So shall we get started?" Nat glanced sideways at her.

"I'm way ahead of you!" Nicole teased.

"Okay. Full name." Nat said, priming her pencil. "That's easy." She began to write, speaking along to the words for no one's benefit. "Natalia Gwen Rosalyn."

"Nicole Genevieve Rosalyn." Nicole said with dramatic flair. "The prettier twin." She said playfully. "Age. Seventeen." The two girls wrote down the number.

"Province. Kent." Nat said as they filled it in. "Caste. Four."

"Occupation." Nicole said. "Hmmm. Factory seamstress." She wrote it down. "And aspiring dancer, but I'm not sure if I should write that."

"Better not." Nat said as she wrote 'exercise rider/farm worker' on the blank. The girls wrote their address in the corresponding blank, and some other contact information.

"Okay, dark brown hair, hazel eyes, tan skin." Nicole said as she wrote. "5'7 and approximately 130 pounds."

"Why do they need this stuff if they're going to take our picture anyway?" Nat interrupted, her earlier anger coming back as she wrote down her weight in a sloppy scrawl. "That's dumb."

They put in information about school-homeschooled, since only Sixes and Sevens were in public schools, and Fours couldn't very well afford private school.

"I've picked up a little Spanish at the track. Do you think that counts for languages spoken?" Nat asked as they moved down the form.

"Do the ballet terms I know count as French?" Nicole asked without answering her sister's question. The girls glanced at each other and shrugged.

"Close enough." Nat said, jotting it down. "I mean, we've studied them a little in school too."

"Okay, so hobbies." Nicole said, her forehead wrinkling. "Should I put ballet?"

"If you don't show it to Mom and Dad. I'm just putting horseback riding." Nat said and they wrote in their secret passions. "What else?"

"Cooking?" Nicole hesitated. "Sewing? Working in the factory?"

"Sure, put that if you want to." Nat said teasingly. "I'm putting down archery too."

"Why? You've never used a bow in your life." Nicole alleged.

"Well, I think it will be fun, and I hear Prince Ethan likes that stuff."

"But it's lying."

"No it's not." Nat said. "I've never done it, but that doesn't mean I won't like it when I do."

"Okay…" Nicole said skeptically as she tried to think of something that sounded good to write down. This form had to be perfect. She ended up writing 'ballet, dance, singing, cooking, studying, and reading.' While reading a history book and studying science terms wasn't her idea of fun, if the book was about ballet, she soaked it up. Nat had finished her form haphazardly and went to take a shower to wash off dirt from the day's work so they could go to take their pictures, but Nicole stayed in their room to put the finishing touches on the form. It had to be perfect. She had to be chosen.

When Nat got out of the shower, Nicole was still working.

"You still working on that?" Nat said, coming into their room with her robe draped around her. "Why?"

"I guess I'm more interesting than you." Nicole quipped as she erased her name so she could write it nicer.

"Do you _want _to be chosen? Honestly?" Nat asked, combing out her wet hair. Nicole shrugged.

"Let's just get our pictures taken before everyone gets home. How long does it usually take Jason and Dad to mail the rent?" Nicole said, getting up.

"A while. They have to go to a meeting or something. Actually I think Jason was meeting some girl, but irrelevant. What are you wearing?" Nat began rummaging through their closet.

"No idea."

Several minutes later, Nat was wearing a new-ish pair of dark jeans and cleaned off riding boots with dark blue button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up and draped over a white tank top. She was drying her hair. Nicole had on her favorite skirt, a dark magenta hand-me-down maxi skirt she had found at a thrift store. She had paired it with a cream colored blouse, flats and un-braided her hair so it hung loose. Nat parted her hair down the middle, and put on a little eyeliner and mascara, as did Nicole.

"Ready?" Nat said. Nicole nodded. For some reason, she was nervous. The girls exited the apartment, and walked to the admission's office.

"Do I have anything in my teeth?" Nicole asked, flashing a cheesy grin.

"You're good." Nat said. Nicole glanced around.

"Look, there's Marjorie." She said, spying the blonde, who sported bright red lipstick and a short pair of black shorts.

"Chris's girlfriend?" Nat asked, speaking of their neighbor.

"Yup." Nicole felt her stomach tighten with jealously.

"She's wearing a push-up bra!" Nat pointed out. "What a slut." She rolled her eyes.

They continued to take in the jittery girls around them as the line inched up.

"Do you want to go first?" Nat said, suddenly feeling nervous.

"No." Nicole's voice was soft and flat. "But I will.

"Okay." Nat stepped behind her twin as the girl in front of Nicole blinked as the camera flashed. They didn't retake it.

Nicole followed the employee's instructions, and sat on the chair, tilting her head this way and her chin that way, and looking at the camera. She smiled her best smile, mentally picturing ballet and dancing and chocolate.

"Just a minute." The woman taking the pictures said as she fished her ringing cell phone from her pocket. Nicole tried not to move her head, but shifted her eyes to Nat, who beamed and gave her a big thumbs up. Nicole's eyes shifted to the window, and she caught sight of someone familiar. It was Ben, Nat's boyfriend, standing in line with his sister. She realized Nat couldn't see him from where she was, but that Ben could see her. _Oh no…._

Nicole was jarred back to her own situation as the woman snapped at her to look at the camera. She barely had a second to paste a quick smile on her face before the bulb flashed, and the woman was barking "Next!" She stood up from the chair, shaking her head at Nat, but found her sister occupied with the camera, smiling happily. In a moment, she joined Nicole outside

"That wasn't so bad!" She said. Before Nicole could respond, Ben made his enterance.

"Hi, Nat." He called to them. Both girls turned. He wasn't smiling, and his mouth was in a hard line. Nicole watched her sister visibly deflate, and cast a pleading look at her.

"I'll see you at home." Nicole said quickly, and left quickly.

Nat turned to face her boyfriend, who had basically caught her cheating on him. She nervously smoothed her hair.

"Hi, Ben." She said just above a whisper. "I didn't know you were going to be here."

"Obviously. My mom wanted me to come with Carrie Ann." Ben said coldly, gesturing to his sister.

"I'm sorry…" She said lamely.

"Huh." Ben was obviously hurt, and definitely not in the mood for apologies. "Then why'd you do it?"

"Nicole wanted me to." Nat said. She had honed her lying skill over the years, but that was the truth.

"Really." He obviously didn't believe her. "You could have at least told me. You know, I thought you were really crazy about me. Because I really like you. But I can see I was wrong."

"About me, or about you?" Nat said, and the winced inwardly. Not the best time for her terrible analytical skills to come into play.

"About you."

"Ben, I'm probably not going to even be picked." Nat tried to improve the situation.

"Then why did you enter? Because Nicole wanted you to? I know she didn't force you. You had to come on your own free will. I guess I was wrong about you."

"Ben, listen to me." Nat pleaded.

"Forget it. I have to go." Ben stormed off, leaving Nat alone, and on the verge of crying. She turned in the other direction, and ran home, as quickly as possible.

…

Adele Roxanne Warren frowned at the mirror. Everything was going wrong tonight. First, she had tripped in the last dress rehearsal they had before opening night-tonight- and although she told everyone she was fine, her ankle hurt, and she could barely walk in her dance shoes now. Now, as she prepared to do her stage makeup, she discovered she was breaking out _again. _To top it all off, her hair was still too short to look good.

"Why did I ever cut my hair?" She moaned to her friend and fellow actress, Felicity Weaver. The auburn haired girl smiled.

"You said you wanted to look like Cordelia Whitney in that movie." Felicity said, leaning close to the mirror to apply mascara.

"Yeah, I thought she actually cut her hair. I didn't know she just wore a wig." Adele moaned. "Do you have any more of the acne medicine? I'm breaking out. Again."

"Yeah, in my purse." Felicity said, nudging it in Adele's direction. "Are you nervous about tonight?"

"Not really. You?" Adele smeared the medicine on her skin.

"Yeah. I know I'm only in the ensemble, but still." Felicity said. "I don't know how you do it."

"Hey, I'm right there in the back with you most of the time." Adele corrected, reaching for her foundation. The endless cycle of heavy stage makeup always made her breakout, which had to be covered up with makeup, which made her breakout over and over again.

"Yeah, in large productions. But you told me you always get the lead in the small productions back at home." Felicity finished with her mascara. While both girls were Fives, live theatre actresses, and seventeen, their similarities ended there. Whereas Adele sported short dark blondish curls, Felicity had longer deep red hair, and blue eyes to Adele's brown. Felicity was tall and thin, and Adele was shorter and petite. Adele, though, was loud, plucky, overly dramatic, sassy, and almost superficial, but she seemed friendly. In contrast, Felicity was quiet and a good listener, but came alive on stage. Adele, on the other hand, always seemed to be acting, even in real life. Adele had four siblings, and often stayed after performances to clean up for extra cash. She often worked in two shows at once, usually as a background dancer/singer in a large production, and the lead in a small community theatre productions. Ironically, she was paid much more to be in the ensemble. Felicity usually scored a small lead role in the larger productions, with a handful of lines. However, Felicity only had one sister still at home, and her family was pretty well off-at least for Fives.

Adele finished caking her face with the liquid foundation, and quickly pressed powder over it to set. She brushed her checks with blush, and dusted a little on her collarbone before moving to hot pink eye shadow on her lids to match her costume. She had to wear lots of makeup like everyone else in the production company, so their faces would be more visible to the audience, and the lights wouldn't wash them out. Overtime, Adele had gotten used to it. Tonight was opening night for their newest show, a huge undertaking to transform _Cinderella _from imagination to stage. Felicity and Adele both served as attenders of the ball. Adele finished the eye shadow and reached for a thick liquid eye liner.

"So, did you watch the Report the other night?" She asked Felicity as her friend rolled her long hair into the curling iron.

"Yeah. It's a shame about Yukon. I'm glad we weren't touring there."

"I've never been there." Adele said, sticking in her false eyelashes.

"Me neither." Felicity admitted.

"Do theaters even tour up there? It's just a bunch of snow and mountains and igloos, isn't it?" Adele applied mascara heavily to the false eyelashes, and set to work pinning her short curls into a cheesy up-do.

"I have no idea." Felicity said.

"Are you going to enter the Selection?" Adele asked.

"Maybe." Felicity covered her new curls in a cloud of hairspray.

"I wonder if the royals ever got inspiration from _Cinderella._" Adele mused, jabbing a pin into her hair.

"I'll keep that in mind while I'm preforming tonight!" A new voice behind them interrupted. "Hurry, girls. Curtin's up in fifteen minutes." Bianca White-Cinderella herself-said. She had befriended Felicity when the girl played in the orchestra and helped her get into the ensemble. In turn, she met Adele. Adele studied the older woman. Bianca seemed to be in her mid twenties, and had scored every female lead in this company since Adele could remember.

"Did you enter Prince Andrew's Selection?" Adele asked, figuring Bianca was old enough to have been in Ethan's older brother's Selection, about three years ago.

"I sure did, Dellie, honey." Bianca said. "But I didn't get picked. I didn't have my face on in the picture." She gestured to her dramatic make up. "But Princess Christine lived on the same street I did."

"Did you know her?" Felicity said, standing up and taking her costume off the hook by her spot in the woman's communal dressing room.

"I did." Bianca said fondly. "Of course, I was a Five and play actress, and she was a Two and a ballerina, but she helped me with an audition routine once. I had to dance."

"So, do you think we should enter?" Adele asked.

"Of course, Dellie! You have nothing to lose and ever thing to gain. Now you won't become Queen unless Andrew and Christine die childless, but still, Princess is just as good."

"What if Prince Ethan doesn't find anyone he loves?" Felicity said.

"Oh, trust me, he will. It's always happened. Even in _Cinderella, _the most unlikely girl was chosen by the Prince. So you never know who it may be." Bianca gave a wistful sigh, and Adele found herself dreaming of falling in love, something she had only experienced as an actress and a character. Sure, she had dated her way up in the company before, but it was just to get better parts and better pay.

"Now, you girls get in your costumes, and hurry! I have to go, but promise me you'll at least enter the Selection." Bianca said.

"I will." Felicity said.

"Me too. See you at the ball." Adele teased. Bianca made a hasty exit, and Adele quickly stepped out of her dressing gown and into her costume, a gaudy, cheesy hot pink gown.  
_Who knows? _She thought. _Maybe I'll get my fairy tale ending someday._

…

**What did you all think? Adele, Felicity and even Cordelia are all among the characters. I'll be introducing probably two more next time, while Nat and Nic wait for the Selected to be well, Selected! I also need about ten more characters. If I don't get enough, I'll make some names to be eliminated first, but I would love to have all of them! Remember to review, follow, fav, and of course, submit! I'm getting to longer chapters, now! This is 2500, but my chapters on Fanfiction usually go to about 3500. On FictionPress, though, they can push 9000. **

**I'm wrapping up an old syoc story on FP, speaking of which. I decided to do a vote sponsored ending, and I would really appreciate it if you guys read it! It's called "The Hunt" under my same username as here. I guess its kind of like the Hunger Games, but I didn't see the movie until I was about a third of the way through, so I didn't copy! Please read it! **


	6. Cupcakes, Conquering, and Cafes

**Thanks to **mnbvcxz-xx, delovlies, Demigod-Gallagher-Witch-Girl, PEETAMELLARKLOVER123, IsisofVersailles, zanzibaby, Vulkodlak, theYAfangirl17** and** fairy not princess **for reviewing; **theYAfangirl17 **for following and submitting (!) and**Demigod-Gallagher-Witch-Girl **and** IsisofVersailles **for favorite-ing me! Love you guys! **

**This chapter is introducing more of the other girls. Adele and Felicity are going to be the only Fives introduced before the Selection begins. This chapter is for the Threes I chose to introduce before the Selection begins-Gracie, Amelia, and Hana. I have plans for Cora later on, but I don't know about the other Threes yet. Not every character will be focused on, just to let you know. **

**I still need nine characters! Please try to do Sixes and Sevens, as I only have one of each. If you do a Two, no more actresses, no more Threes or Fives at all. **

Gracie Luna inhaled her favorite smell in the world besides horses. The sweet smell of baking cake filled the room as the cupcakes reached their , halfway point. Although her official job as a Three was a teacher's assistant, she still loved to bake. Her mother, though, was a professional pastry chef specializing in wedding cakes, and the newest order requested four dozen matching cupcakes to go along with a three tier cake. The order would be good for them, since Dad had been laid off from the school where he taught for about a year now. Gracie smirked. They couldn't afford to hire her father, a historian, but they could afford to keep her little sixteen year old, five foot three inch self on in the kindergarten classroom for the Sixes and Sevens? Sometimes, Illea's government was weird.

Even though Gracie and her family were Threes, they didn't have much money. In fact, Gracie knew several Fours who owned small businesses and were wealthier than her own family. Besides, now that Chase was in medical school, funds were even tighter.

Gracie went to the fridge to get the cream cheese for the frosting. The cake order would be delicious-vanilla bean cake, cream cheese raspberry buttercream and chocolate ganache filling. Gracie had already heated the cream and melted the chocolate into it, and the ganache was now cooling. She snagged the cream cheese and went back to the mixer, unwrapping it as she went. She tossed it in, next to the already softened butter, and turned the mixer on. While they creamed together, she took the raspberry puree she had made earlier and ran it through the strainer to get rid of the seeds. When that was done, she slowly added it to the butter/cream cheese mixture. She then got powdered sugar, and poured some into the mixing bowl, but too much and the air filled with a delicious cloud of sugar for a second. Gracie giggled. She was in a wonderful mood. She had spent the morning at the riding stable down the street, first mucking out stalls and cleaning the tack room. She didn't mind, of course. Next, she got to ride. In the past, she had taken riding lessons, but she didn't really need them anymore. It was just a privilege to ride. She had taken out Zanzibar, a high strung black colt who had an attitude around everyone but Gracie. When people walked by his stall, he would try to nip them. When others tried to saddle him, he would pitch such a fit in the crossties that it took nearly thirty minutes. Riding him was a disaster, for all he did was buck and fight for his head.

But around Gracie, he nickered when he saw her coming or heard her voice, and rubbed on her when she entered his stall. He would act like a perfect gentlemen when she led him or saddled him, and obeyed her perfectly. She had taken him jumping before finishing with a gallop in the far paddock and then walking back to cool him down. When she had arrived back home, she had spent the afternoon making cupcakes. She added more powdered sugar to the pale pink frosting, and it began to take shape. When it was thick and creamy, she added a little dash of vanilla and turned off the mixer. She checked the timer for the cupcakes, finding they still had several minutes left to bake, but were rising nicely. She left the frosting where it was, and went into the living room.

Her letter for the Selection had come today. There was no doubt about whether she should enter or not. Chase's college bills weren't going to pay themselves, and _if _you got in, the family was generously compensated. Besides, out of all the girls in Atlin, it was doubtful that Gracie would be chosen, but still, it was worth a try, and well, why not? _I'm not that ugly! _Gracie mused. _Sure, I'm tiny, but I'm blonde. That's got to count for something. _She had light golden blonde wavy hair, and blue eyes-the perfect 'Barbie Doll' look. It wasn't exotic or supermodel, but still, she was pretty.

Gracie sat on the floor, leaning against the couch, and ran her fingers over the envelope on the coffee table. She had opened it and read it last night, but had only gotten so far as her name when Chase had called, and she had spent the next several hours talking on the phone to her favorite-and only- brother. Since she had a few minutes, she might as well work on it.

_Name: Gracelyn Elisabeth Luna_

_Age: 16_

Gracie stopped again. Was sixteen old enough to get married? Sure, she was almost seventeen, but Prince Ethan was almost twenty. _Do I even have a chance? _Gracie wondered, distractedly drawing a tiny horse in the margin. Shaking herself, she quickly moved to erase the doodle, but realized she was using a pen, so she scribbled over it.

_Province: Atlin_

_Caste: Three_

_Occupation: Teacher's Assistant at Atlin Central Elementary School _

_Hair color: light golden blonde. _

Gracie stopped again. Was that too much information? Did they just want blonde, or what? They were taking her picture anyway, so she left it.

_Eye color: ocean blue_

_Skin tone: pale, but fair_

_Height: 5'3_

_Weight: 117 pounds_

Gracie wrote down her schooling information, and address and contact information, but was interrupted when the oven timer went off. She abandoned the letter, and scurried into the kitchen, to take out the two double dozen cupcake pans, the delicious vanilla bean wafting through the air as she opened the oven and took them out with an oven mitt. She set them on the stove top to cool, and went back to the living room to keep working.

_Languages spoken: fluent English, passable French, and some Russian_

_Hobbies: horseback riding, baking, singing. _

Gracie poised her pencil, trying to think of other things to write down. The Prince didn't want someone boring, did he? She added 'reading' to the list, then 'spending time with family' and 'working with little kids and horses' and left it at that. She quickly finished the rest of the questions, and folded the form up and slipped it back into the envelope. Mom was at an appointment with a client to discuss their wedding, and her dad was at the bank, trying to get another loan for Chase's schooling. _I have to get into the Selection to help him. _Gracie resolved, heading back into the kitchen. _Once I finish these, I'll go get my picture taken._

She dumped the baking pans over to dislodge the cupcakes, and piled them onto a tray, and stuck them in the freezer to cool a bit more. She got out a pastry bag, and fitted it with a large open star tip, and spatula-d the frosting into it. She folded it up, and twisted it shut, and laid it on the counter. She got out the now cooled and thickened ganache and a container of fresh raspberries before getting the cupcakes back out. She hollowed out the middles, refusing the temptations to eat the cores, and spooned with delicious ganache into them before putting the cores back on top for less mess. She steadied the piping bag over the first cupcake, and piped a neat swirl, moving quickly. When each scrumptious bite was covered with a layer of light pink, and filled with the best substance on earth, Gracie garnished each top with a fresh raspberry and drizzled a little more ganache on top and then added some sugar pearls for good measure. It _was _fora wedding. After she had loaded them into one of the cake boxes and put them into the refrigerator, she ran upstairs to her room.

She changed into a nice pair of khaki pedal pushers and a lavender blouse with a white sweater open to reveal her necklace-sliver pendant in the shape of a music note with a diamond in the middle. She took her hair down from her customary ponytail, and after a quick brushing, she side parted it and slipped a bobby pin into it to keep it out of her eyes. She dabbed a little perfume on for good measure, and some concealer. She decided she should put on some makeup for good measure, and put on some light brown eye shadow and a little brown eyeliner. Gracie slipped on her favorite shoes, a low pair of tan colored heeled sandals, and headed down stairs. Mom had just arrived home and was inspecting Gracie's work in the kitchen.

"These are lovely. Are you sure you don't want to become a baker?" Her mother said. Gracie gave a firm nod.

"I love little kids too much. It'll always be a hobby, though." She resisted the temptation to rub her eyes. Makeup was not a daily thing for her.

"What are you all gussied up for?"

"I want to go get my picture taken and turn in my form for the Selection. Can you take me?" Gracie's mom nodded, and they headed to the car.

…

Amelia Wilde sighed, and looked at the letter in her hands. The Selection seemed like it would be every girl's dream-palace, servants, prince-it was a Cinderella story. Just not for Amelia. She set the letter down on her desk and tried to work on her story. She was a writer, after all, and her publisher was hounding her for a sequel to her first and only novel. But the thing was, the book didn't need a sequel. Christian had ended up with Tara. There was nothing else to write. Unless Christian was going to break her heart and fall in love with her best friend and cheat on her. The manuscript and the letter blurred in front of Amelia's face. The reminder was fresh, and it stung.

Amelia blinked at her stubborn tears, glancing up, only to spy a picture of the memory on her bulletin board above her desk. She and Alex were standing next to each other outside next a fancy restaurant he had taken her to. She had on her favorite dress, a baby blue peplum style with a wide black belt, and black pumps to match her dangly black earrings. Her dark hair was curled and she was grinning in the picture. Alex had his arm around her, and they had tilted their heads so the foreheads were touching. The bitter reminder of her ex-boyfriend made Amelia's stomach clench, and urge to cry was stronger now. Even worse, Amelia remembered who had taken the picture. Erin Rusk. Ex-best friend. She had been double dating with George that night. Only the next weekend, Alex had called to tell he was sick and Amelia had gone to a restaurant with her brother's Jack, Theo, Noel, and Zachery, only to catch Alex and Erin making out during a date of their own. That was two months ago.

The worst part was that not only was Alex cheating on her, but Erin had lied to her and betrayed her. In the span of one night, she had an ex-boyfriend and ex-best friend. And it had hurt. Amelia wiped at her eyes. Even if she was to enter the Selection, and get chosen, she didn't think she would last long. She didn't think she would ever trust another guy again, even if he was a prince. Guys were jerks anyway. Besides, being stuck with a bunch of girls who were all dating the same guy sounded like a nightmare to Amelia. Too close to what had happened with Alex and Erin.

Being nineteen, she didn't have much time left. She had graduated last year, and just last week her close friend Leslie had gotten married and Amelia had been the only bridesmaid who wasn't married, engaged, or really close to being engaged. She had heard at Leslie's wedding that Erin, formerly a Four, had gotten into the Illean Military Academy, where she served as a cadet. Leslie had only been engaged for a few weeks, since she had called Amelia about a month ago, crying and confessing that she had stayed the night at Jeremey's house the weekend prior and now her period was a week late. The wedding had been hastily planned, since Leslie was indeed pregnant. Everyone she knew got married in their very early twenties, since it was too hard to wait. But after the fiasco with Alex, Amelia didn't even want to _talk _to any boy who wasn't one of her four brothers.

She quietly slipped the application form back into its envelope, and tossed it into the waste basket next to her desk. It was a waste of time. Next, she flipped to some clean pages in her rough draft notebook. Her own happily ever was pretty much gone forever, but that didn't mean she should mess with Christian and Tara's-even though they were fictional characters. Besides, she was eager to write something that didn't include romance. It would only depress her.

.

Later that evening, Amelia had the plot and character furnished for a historical drama and had just finished outlining the first chapter when she heard a knock at her bedroom door. Without waiting for her to say 'come in' her brother Zach waltzed in.

"Watcha doing, baby sis?" He asked, ruffling her hair and then sitting on the foot of her bed.

"Writing. Go away." Amelia said distractedly.

"Writing about yourself?" Zach, said, wiggling his eyebrows at her. "I wish they had a Selection for Princess Michelle. She's hot."

"What?" Amelia glanced up from her work, annoyed. "What are you talking about?"

"I saw your form for the Selection came. Aren't you filling it out?" Zach asked. Amelia rolled her eyes.

"Why would I waste my time on that?" She said. "I threw it away." She tried to go back to writing, but her pencil tip snapped. Amelia groaned, and opened a drawer to get a pencil sharpener. She heard Zach ruffle through the wastebasket, and a second later the fancy-schamncey envelope landed on top of her notebook.

"Promise me you'll fill it out." Zach said, serious for once. "I want to see my favorite sister happy."

"I'm your only sister, and filling out a stupid form isn't going to make me happy. Being in some stupid Selection isn't either."

"I just want you to learn to open up and trust guys again. I don't want you going through your whole life lonely." Zach said.

"Zach, I'm not even going to be picked. It's a waste of time."

"Then what have you got to lose by filling out the form? Think about, Lia." Zach said, moving toward the door. "I doubt you will, though." He exited, closing the door behind him. Amelia huffed, and swept the envelope off her notebook onto the side of her desk. She finished the sentence she had been writing, but after that, her creativity was gone. She tried to go back and edit what she had written, but her gaze kept going to the envelope.

Zach, her parents and brothers, and all her friends thought she would end up as a spinster. An idea of revenge suddenly formed in her head. She would prove them wrong. She would show Erin and Alex that they were nothing to her. She would find love again.

Amelia slammed her notebook shut, and practically tore open the envelope, and began hurriedly filling it out.

_Name: Amelia Cressida Wilde_

_Age: 19_

_Province: Carolina _

_Caste: Three_

_Occupation: writer _

_Hair color: brunette _

_Eye color: dark brown_

_Skin tone: ivory _

_Height: 5'6_

_Weight: 126 pounds_

_Languages spoken: English, Spanish, French and some Italian_

_Hobbies: writing, horseback riding, soccer, watching movies, reading_

She filled out her schooling information and contact information, and went into the bathroom. She brushed her dark hair, and left it down. She had put on eyeliner this morning, but she went ahead and applied it again, along with mascara and some dark gray eye shadow and lip gloss. She went to her closet, looking for something to wear. Her gaze landed on the baby blue and black peplum in the photo on her bulletin board. She grabbed it, and hastily put it on, along with black ankle boots, tights and jacket, since it wasn't summer anymore. Next, Amelia unpinned the photo from her bulletin board, and folded it so only herself was visible. Satisfied, she grabbed her purse, and headed downstairs. She would show them all.

…

Hana Piper heard the excited squeal from her best friend Diana and knew it could only be for one thing. Hana held the phone a few inches away from her ear and winced slightly.

"What is it?" Hana asked, knowing the answer.

"My letter for the Selection came!" Diana practically screamed through the phone. "Oh my goodness!"

"Mine came yesterday." Hana said, glancing at her surroundings to make sure her boss wasn't anywhere nearby. Her mother owned a large chain of cafés throughout Belcourt, and Hana worked part time in the one closest to their home. Although Mom traveled all over the province to oversee her corporation locations, she was most often at the one Hana worked at, and the largest. Hana's break had ended five minutes ago, but she wasn't ready to end the conversation with her best friend.

"What?" Diana squawked. "Why did you tell me? We need to have a sleepover to fill them out or something!"

"I didn't think it was such a big deal." Hana admitted, twirling a strand of hair around her finger. "In fact, I just remembered I had it. It's in my purse."

"When do you get off work?" Diana demanded. Hana checked her watch.

"Less than an hour. But I'm staying here until my mom drives me home."

"Why?"

"Because it's raining and I don't want to walk and I am _not _taking the bus." Hana responded. On the other line Diana groaned dramatically.

"Fine, I'll meet you there in forty five minutes. I'll call the chauffer." Diana said. The girls said their goodbyes, and Hana hung up. Even though she was a Three and Diana was a Two, Diana was a very successful model as was her mom, and her dad directed movies that always won awards. Whereas Hana's dad was a therapist and her mom owned a small local corporation. They weren't poor by any means, but not nearly as wealthy as Diana's family.

.

An hour later, Diana had arrived and Hana's shift had ended. The girls were settled at the table in the corner by the front window, and rain dripped down the glass, making the inside seem cozy on the fall day. Hana had taken the liberty of ordering them both lattes and she was eating a piece of cheesecake, but Diana declined anything, sighting her modeling career.

"Let's get started, then!" Diana said happily, brushing her midnight black tresses out of her blue eyes.

"I don't think I'll ever get picked anyway." Hana said, suddenly feeling glum. "You'll definitely get picked over me. I mean, you're a model."

"Yeah, well you got that fashion designing internship and you're starting college in a few weeks, and you graduated with top marks. I'm just a dumb model." Diana countered, taking a sip of her low-fat latte. "At least try." She began writing away, filling in her form. Hana paused for a moment, watching the rain outside. After a moment, she filled out the basic information.

_Name: Hana Andromeda Piper_

_Age: 18_

_Province: Belcourt _

_Caste: Three_

_Occupation: _

She stopped as she considered it. She worked part time at the café, she also had a fashion design internship and she would be a freshman in college in two weeks.

_Occupation: employee at Pied Piper Café, intern at Seraphina Fashion Company, and freshman at Belcourt Province University of Arts _

"Do think I should describe my hair as midnight black or raven black, or inky black?" Diana interrupted Hana's thoughts.

"Midnight." Hana said. "What about mine?" Diana studied her.

"Hmmm. I'd say milk chocolate brown." She said after a moment. Hana nodded.

_Hair color: milk chocolate brown_

_Eye color: hazel_

_Skin tone: light tan_

_Height: 5'9_

_Weight: 138 pounds _

_Languages spoken: English, French and some Latin and Spanish_

_Highest grade level completed: twelve, currently. Accepted into Belcourt Province University of the Arts _

_Hobbies: sketching, designing clothes, painting, studying. _

As Hana looked over her list of hobbies, she couldn't help feeling boring. She snuck a look at Diana's form.

_Languages Spoken: English, some French_

_Hobbies: Modeling_

It made her feel a little better about herself. In terms of her looks, though, Diana far outshined her.

"Okay, I'm done! How about we go to my house and get a makeover for our pictures?" Diana suggested.

"Okay." Hana said. "Can I borrow a nicer outfit?" She glanced down at her black pants and blouse, the standard uniform for employees at the café.

"Of course!" Diana said, collecting her things and standing up. The girls were very similar in proportions. Hana had once been offered a modeling contract, but she had turned it down. She didn't want to leave her internship, since designing and drawing clothes was what she loved to do.

Diana's chaffer took them to her three level mansion, and got out of the car to open the door for them. He held two umbrellas above them as they hurried inside. Diana made a beeline to her massive closet as soon as she got to her room, and began removing designer clothing on hangers and laying them on her king sized bed.

"I have just the outfit in mind for you!" Diana said, taking out a chic hot pink cocktail dress. It was strapless, and backless.

"Oh, no. I could never wear that." Hana said quickly.

"Please? You'll look so great!" Diana begged.

"No way. You wear it. It'll look great on you." Hana said. Diana shrugged, and flounced to the bathroom to change. Hana riffled through her friend's closet, recognizing many of the garments. She found a dark red dolman sleeved blouse she knew would look good with her hazel eyes and brown hair. Hana decided it would look good with the pants she had on, and since they wouldn't even show up in the photo, she left them on, and changed shirts, folding her other one and depositing it in her Coach purse. Diana came out, flaunting her long legs in the skimpy dress.

"I feel HOT!" Diana crowed, digging out a pair of sky high black stilettos from her closet. "I wore these to the Oscars last year when I went with my dad." She explained, putting them on. She added diamond stud earrings before heading to her vanity. Hana usually didn't wear makeup, but she carefully applied a little mascara and a tan eye shadow. Diana was applying a heavy coat of sparkly black eye shadow to her already outlined eyes. She finished off the look with a shocking shade of dark hot pink. She applied outrageous mascara, and finished it off with a little more powder on her nose.

"Shall we go?" Diana said, turning to look at Hana. "That's all you're going to wear? At least do some eyeliner or something."

"I like it like this." Hana said, suddenly realizing they were competing for the same prize now.

"Okay, but don't say I'm not allowed to say 'I told you so'" Diana said. Hana grinned at her.

"Oh, I will." She joked.

But there existed some tension between the girls that hadn't been there yesterday. Because now, they were a sort of enemies.

…

**How was that? I had to change a few things for some characters, mostly about Hana and Erin, who is actually one of the OC's. Let me know if you got the reference of Amelia's book characters! Keep submitting, there's still nine spots open!**


	7. A matter of duty

**(****Apologies, I have a lot of announcements and explaining to do) **

**So, my computer broke, so that's why this took so long. **

**Internet kills writing. I mean, I love that you're reading this on the Internet, but the reason I cranked out the last couple chapters so fast is because I was stuck in a car on a trip, with nothing to do but write, and no wifi! Now, I'm home and wifi is abundant, and it's just so distracting! Actually, I spent most of the last two days working on a PowerPoint thing about this since I have no idea how to use a blog. Sadly, I have no idea how to put it on the internet, so any ideas would be appreciated, since I worked hard on it!**

**I figured out who is a main, supporting, or minor character. I was going to do it by caste, but I decided against it. I love most of the characters I got but I had to choose who to highlight! It's nothing personal, just depending on similarities to other characters and amount of detail. Not everyone is going to get an intro, and not everyone will be introduced before the Selection. Right now, I only know that Katherine and Mackenzie have full intros later on. It's the same as the others I have introduced, just later. There are still spots left, though!**

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed, followed, favorite-ed, and/or submitted: **4Love4Love4 **(check out her Selection SYOC!), **zanzibaby, Booklover0717, theYAfangirl17, Lost Daughter of Gallifrey. mnbvcxz-xx **(who indeed got the reference),** majestictales, PEETAMELLARKLOVER123 **and any guests! Huge thanks to **zanzibaby **for torturing me with her cupcakes and **theYAfangirl **for submitting three awesome characters, and reading another one of my stories!**!** You guys are the best!**

**Okay, enough really boring authors note no one read. Without further ado, the main characters-Elvira (by **TheGirlWithTheRainbowTattoo **read her awesome Selection SYOC story), Taylor, by **theYAfangirl17, **and Micaela, by **Demigod-Gallagher-Witch-Girl, (**read her awesome Selection SYOC story too!) and the supporting characters-Dorianne (**Guest**), and Cordelia by **EruditeAbnegationMockinjay (**read her Selection SYOC story also! **)

***note- I have no idea where most of the provinces should be. I think Yukon should be Alaska, because that's a river there, and a term used to describe the region and Angeles is California because of Los Ageless, but that's all. I also changed Cordelia's name from Swift to Whitney (her middle name) because I'm sorry, I hate Taylor Swift* **

…

Elvira Entrinken never got mail. But today she had two letters. The brunette studied the envelope. She knew what the bigger one contained. Her bunkmates Kimberly, Pauline, Sasha, and Marcelle all had gotten one, too. Elvira wanted to do what the other girls had done with them and throw it away, but that might not be possible. The envelope was large, crisp and obviously expensive. She traced her finger over her name on the front. _Elvira Emily Entrinken. _It had been delivered to her home address, not her current residence.

It was a letter to enter the Selection. A chance to become the wife of Prince Ethan. _Hmmm. Private in the Illean military becomes princess. _Elvira mused, slipping the Selection letter underneath the other envelope. This one had come from home, addressed to Elvira at her base, stationed in New Asia. And it was from her father. She slipped her finger nail underneath the slot and opened the envelope. Why he couldn't call, text or even email her was beyond Elvira. She pulled out the double sided piece of typed paper, and unfolded it.

_My dearest daughter Ellie, _it began. Elvira wrinkled her nose in distaste. She hated when people called her that.

_The letter from our King Jackson and Queen Francesca arrived yesterday addressed to you, my beautiful daughter. It made me very proud to know that in the near future, you, my daughter, could become the princess of Illea. _Elvira couldn't help rolling her eyes. She loved her dad, of course, but sometimes he was over the top. Besides, there was already two princesses, Michelle and Andrew's wife Christine. She kept reading.

_As the daughter of the Illean ambassador to Germany, you must know you will have very good chances in this contest. My original plan to marry Gerda to Prince Andrew fell through when he chose Christine over your elder sister. I planned to marry her to Prince Ethan, but she is now twenty five, and too old to even be considered. This leaves the task up to you, my dearest Elvira. _

_When you were preparing to graduate, you made me a promise that you would enter Ethan's Selection when the time came and in return, you could attend the Illean Military Academy, instead of a finishing school of your choice. Well, my daughter, that time has come. _

_I posted the letter from the palace with this letter. Since you are not in Illea at this time, I contacted the Province of Sonage Services Office. They told me that you (and any other girls of age at the base) will be allowed to fill out the form and post it, along with a picture of yourself to them._

_I trust that you will keep your promise to me, Elvira, and fill out the form. I have no doubt in my mind that you will be selected._

Elvira scanned the brief closing, barely managing to suppress a groan. Why had she ever agreed to the ultimatum? She didn't really have a choice, though. Go to some stupid prissy finishing school thing to prepare you for the Selection, and be forced into the Selection, or go to military school and join the army and be forced into the Selection. Still, this was a better choice.

But Elvira didn't want to go to some stupid palace and wear stupid ball gowns and date some stupid prince with a bunch of stupid girls. She wished her older sister Gerda had been chosen over Christine. Then Dad would be satisfied-maybe. She wished her parents had never divorced. Then maybe she would be happy about the Selection. She wished her brother Alabaster had never joined the army, so she never would have either. She wished Gerda had been chosen. She wished she was a normal girl excited about the Selection so this didn't suck so much. Or that she could just be allowed to live her life!

Reluctantly, Elvira opened the first envelope. She glanced at the first piece of paper, a form to fill out, and scanned the letter.

_Our beloved prince, Ethan Schreave, is coming of age this month. As he ventures into this new part of his life, he hopes to move forward with a partner, to marry a true Daughter of Illéa. If your eligible daughter, sister, or charge is interested in possibly becoming the bride of Prince Ethan and the adored princess of Illéa, please fill out the enclosed form and return it to your local Province Services Office. One woman from each province will be drawn at random to meet the prince. Participants will be housed at the lovely Illéa Palace in Angeles for the duration of their stay. The families of each participant will be __generously compensated__ for their service to the royal family._

Elvira crumpled the letter and chucked it at the door. She sat down on her bed-the lower bunk she shared with Marcelle-and wished she could do the same with the stupid form. But no, that was not to be. She was most definitely _not _interested in becoming the bride of Prince Ethan and the adored princess of Illea. It was like some Cinderella story, and she thought it was dumb. Why couldn't the prince just find someone the regular way? Or be forced into a marriage to help the country like Princess Michelle? The whole thing was just dumb.

Why should she have to enter, anyway? Because Gerda wanted her to, to finish what she had started, but with a different guy? Because Dad wanted a princess for a daughter? He was an ambassador already, and they were Twos, so it wasn't like they needed the money. Elvira wasn't in love with Ethan either. Her mother could care less about what she or her ex-husband did. Alabaster, her brother, was a commander in a military, and would probably be dead-set against Elvira entering. Gerda would probably hate her for it. Fortunately, she and Elvira's mother were living in Spain, and Gerda was twenty five, so the worst she could do was send a couple of angry text messages.

Reluctantly, Elvira decided that the only thing she could do was try as hard as she could _not _to get chosen. Although Dad, a close friend of the king, could probably pull some strings. She grabbed one of Pauline's books and pen from the lower bunk on the other side of the room, knowing one of her four roommates at the base wouldn't mind, and sprawled on the floor, glad that none of her roommates were here; they would surely kid her about this stupid Selection. She studied the form, and began to make herself sound as dull and uninteresting as possible. Sure, they claimed they drew the girls randomly, but because Elvira's dad was so high up and close to the king, and a jerk like Gerda had gotten chosen last time around, she knew it wasn't true. They claimed they were doing that to honor the now rebel controlled territory of Yukon, but Elvira doubted it. Maybe, though.

_Name: Elvira Emily Entrinken _

_Age: 18_

_Province: Sonage_

_Caste: Two_

_Occupation: Private in the military_

_Hair color: brown_

_Eye color: grey_

_Skin tone: white_

_Height: 5'7_

_Weight: 125_

_Languages spoken: English, German, Spanish: _

_Hobbies: marksmanship_

Elvira grinned, hoping her 'list' of hobbies might scare the prince. She briefly wrote her contact and schooling information, and decided to leave it at that. Instead of mailing it back to her dad to give the service office, she decided to mail it herself. But first, she needed a picture. She took out her phone, and went to the camera setting. This would be fun. She wasn't wearing any makeup, and she didn't feel the need to put it on, even though she wasn't against it. Elvira messed up her hair, and scrunched up her face in an attempt of a smile. She added 'duck face' lips for good measure, and wrinkled her nose, twisting her lips into an almost pucker. She opened her eyes as wide as she could, and smashed her chin towards her chest to create some sort of a double chin, before snapping the photo. It was the worst selfie of all time. Elvira almost laughed out loud before a terrible thought occurred to her

The only thing worse than getting picked would be getting picked and having the entire country of Illea see this picture. She decided to take another one and send both. She stated at the camera, and frowned before taking the picture. Perfect. It was totally not princess material. She downloaded and printed out both pictures in on her laptop and Sasha's small portable printer, before sticking them in the included smaller pre stamped envelope to send back. As Elvira set out to mail it before any of her friends found out, she could only hope her plan would work.

…

Dorianne Davenport hugged her thin denim jacket closer, shivering in the cold autumn air of Waverly. Nancy, her foster 'mom', was passed out on the couch, spilled beer bottle on the floor next to her hand. The house was freezing cold, but they could barely afford the rent, much less heat. And it wasn't even winter. Dorianne wrapped her arms tighter around her scrawny body, and wished she was anywhere but here. Sure, she was Four, found on the streets by Nancy and William Davenport when she was a baby, seventeen years ago. William had convinced his barren wife to keep the soon-to-be-Eight, but when Dorianne was six, William had been killed in one of the frequent automobile accidents that plagued Waverly's slums. Nancy hadn't been the best of mothers since. But Dorianne provided a wage, most of which went to fuel Nancy's drug and alcohol addiction that had begun after her husband died, or was stolen by one of the numerous sketchy boyfriends who hung around the house that would never replace the kindness Dorianne had received from William.

Dorianne shot Nancy another look, and assumed it was safe to move. She quietly got up from the wall in the living room. The apartment only had one bedroom, so Dorianne had slept on the couch all her life, but after William died, it became a pile of blankets on the wall by the door, the only place Dorianne was allowed to go when she wasn't working at the factory. Cautiously, Dorianne went to the door. It was time to leave. She had managed to save up enough change from babysitting the kids in the apartment next to theirs. The family was wealthier, since they owned a small family restaurant, and the best thing a Four could do was own a small business. With the change, she had snuck out last night while Nancy and her current boyfriend where otherwise occupied, and gone to the drugstore and purchased some sleeping pills. When Nancy had given her money after they had gotten home from the factory they both worked at to buy a case of beer, Dorianne had, using the false ID Nancy made her use. She had crushed all the sleeping pills up and mixed them into all six of the beers. She had read on the label you weren't supposed to take more than two at a time, so there was just enough in the small bottle roughly two crushed up pills in each beer. Nancy had drunk three of them, so Dorianne figured she would be out for a while. Dorianne had about ten dollars left over from babysitting the neighbor's kids, and keeping half of the change whenever Nancy sent her to buy something. So it was time to leave. She would go see if Blake still liked her, since he had confessed it on the last day of tenth grade, the year she stopped going to school. Maybe she would stay the night, and tell him she was pregnant so they could get married. Or maybe she would just become an Eight. She just knew she had to get out of here. She put on her ratty sneakers, and went to the door, quietly slipping it open. She was just about to step out when she saw it. A large creamy envelope lying in front of the door, the words _Dorianne Skylar Davenport _printed on the front. Dorianne cautiously bent down and picked it up. With shaking fingers, she opened it, and swept her eyes over the first page.

_Our beloved prince, Ethan Schreave, is coming of age this month. As he ventures into this new part of his life, he hopes to move forward with a partner, to marry a true Daughter of Illéa._

Dorianne didn't bother reading the rest. Her eyes filled with tears, and an enormous amount of hope welled up in her heart. The Selection. It was her ticket out of here.

…

Taylor Hollister sighed as she got ready for her first escort of the week. She didn't have to stick around much longer here. She knew she could be doing much worse things than standing around looking pretty as 'dates' for celebrities who might need on, and she was fortunate to be a Seven and not an Eight selling her body instead of her looks, and she was lucky to be a professional escort, but it was probably the exact opposite of what she wanted to do. Taylor pulled the black silk dress of the hanger, and stepped into it, pulling it up, and snuggling it against her chest. She reached behind her, and pulled the zipper up as high it as it could go. She stepped outside the dressing room.

"Hey, Stace', could you zip this up for me?" She called to her best friend Stacey. The blonde nodded, and hurried over.

"Wow, Taylor-I mean Chanel- you look hot!" Stacey said. Taylor rolled her eyes at the use of the name she used for work.

"It's the dress." She said, kicking her bare foot out of the thigh high slit. "It does wonders!" She teased. Who would have guessed that Taylor-a by-the-book nerd and bibliophile who knows eleven languages would be prancing around on the arm of well-known Twos all night? But to do that, you couldn't act like a Seven-you had to act like a Two.

"Still, you're gorgeous." Stacey said. "Are you sure you don't want to enter the Selection?"

"I don't have time." Taylor said, fluffing her dark red-brown curls with her fingers. "I plan to become a Six soon."

"Why? So you clean other people's toilets? What's wrong with this?" Stacey said.

"Nothing. It's just not how I want to spend the rest of my life." Taylor grabbed hand mirror and a tube of lipstick. In the common room of Coates Girls Institution which trained girls to be professional dates, girls in flashy, revealing outfits set about transforming themselves into Two look-alikes, worthy of the red carpet. She applied a heavy coat of bright red to her lips.

"Would you prefer to be a hooker?" Stacey cried, anger bristling. "You would have been an Eight if you hadn't of been left here." Taylor winced. Stacey had been a prostitute for three years before coming here last year. There was no way she could enter the Selection.

"I'm sorry, Stace'." Taylor said. "I didn't mean-"

"I know. I just wish that I was in your shoes. Because I can't enter the Selection, and I really want to. But you can, and you don't." She brushed at her eyes, trying not to smudge her makeup.

"Stacey…" Taylor began.

"Will you enter for me?" Stacey begged. "You probably won't even be picked. But you at least try!"

"But what if I do?" Taylor said. Stacey was the master at persuading people, though, and her friend had already dashed away. She came back a moment later, breathless and clutching a piece of paper and a pen.

"Here's your form, T." She said. "You're my best friend. If you don't get picked, then nothing changes. If you do, you become a Three whenever you get eliminated. Think about it. You could do all the nerdy stuff you can't do here. Or as a Six."

"What if the Prince falls for me?"

"Just guarantee that he won't! Besides, you get paid."

"I don't know…"

"Come on, T. Please, for me?" Stacey did that puppy-dog thing with her eyes. Taylor sighed.

"Fine. But I probably won't even get picked." She snatched the form and pen out of Stacey's hand, and plopped down at one of the makeup chairs. "I stop by the service office after my date. Hopefully, I won't be late." She muttered a few choice words in French.

"You won't be sorry, T!" Stacey shrieked. "I know you're supposed to do this!" Without another word, she dashed off to get ready for a date of her own. Taylor shook her head, and began to fill out the form.

_Name: Taylor Marci Hollister_

_Age: 17_

_Province: Sota_

_Caste: Seven_

_Occupation: professional escort_

_Hair color: dark brown_

_Eye color: light blue_

_Skin tone: tan_

_Height: 5'9_

_Weight: 117_

_Languages spoken: French, English, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Latin, Ancient Greek, Mandarin Chinese, Russian, Slavic, and German._

At this point, Taylor stopped. She suddenly realized she had a very good chance of being selected. She looked up at her reflection in the mirror the girls used for makeup. Heart shaped face, dimples that Stacey was always jealous of, classic dark curls and blue eyes, with just enough freckles to be cute. She also spoke eleven languages, and had all the poise of a Two. The only thing working against her was that she was a Seven. Her stomach tightened with fear, and took a steadying breath. She had to do this for Stacey.

_Highest grade level completed: twelve, at Coates Girls Institution_

_Hobbies: Reading, learning, architecture, exercising, playing the flute and piano, painting, cooking, auto tech, gardening._

_Address:_ _Coates Girls Institution, Sota_

She scanned what she had written. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to be selected. Even if she was the first to go, she would still be a Three. Stacey and the other girls at the Institution would get some money, and all she had to do was show up. A line from her favorite poem drifted across her mind. _"But we loved with a love that was more than a love."_ Poe's "Annabel Lee" told a love story so powerful, that the word 'love' wasn't strong enough.

Taylor felt a yearning then, to fall in love. She didn't want to stand on the arm of someone who couldn't get a date to an event for the test of her life. She didn't even want to clean someone's toilets either. Heck, maybe she didn't even want to achieve her dream and be a Three. She just wanted to know what it was like to love and be loved. And the Selection was her chance. Taylor folded the form up, and slipped it into the tight bodice of her dress. She _would _be selected, and she _would _win.

…

Michaela Williams felt a little shiver of excitement run up her spine as the water in the ocean waves brushed over her toes. Even though it was fall, the temperatures in Sumner stayed fairly warm pretty much all year around. Still, it was significantly cooler than last week. She glanced over her shoulder at June, her ten year old sister.

"Do you want to swim?" She called, the ocean breeze whipping her blonde waves into frenzy.

"No way! It's too cold!" June yelled back.

"You always say that, even in summer!" Michaela teased.

"I do not!" June said, coming to her sister's side.

"Do too." Michaela elbowed her lightly in the ribs.

"Fine! I'll prove it, then." June pulled her tee shirt over her head, revealing her swimsuit.

Michaela laughed, and slipped out of her gray maxi dress. The sisters tossed their outer clothes into Michaela's bag, and she left it high enough up the beach where it wouldn't get wet. The girls ran into the water. June squealed as a large wave approached, and she turned her back against it. Michaela ducked under just a second before, submerging herself. She felt the momentum of the wave pull at her legs, and then came up to the surface. She slicked back her hair. The water _was _cold. She spotted June come up after her dousing, and slid under the water before her sister spotted her. She swam toward June, peeking her eyes open every now and then. When she got close, she grabbed June's ankle, producing a satisfactory scream from above. Michaela popped up, grinning.

"Don't do that!" June shrieked. "That scared me!"

"Exactly." Michaela said. "C'mon, it's freezing."

"You don't need to tell me twice." June said, following her as they waded toward shallower water and then onto the sand. Michaela produced two towels from her bag, giving one to June, and wrapped herself in the other.

"We should get back to the bakery soon." She hated to end the fun, but that job had fallen to her eight years ago. When Mom had slipped on the ice during a freak snowstorm Sumner rarely experienced. When her skull had cracked, and the surgery had gone wrong. Michaela had only been ten, then. She and June had gone to live with their grandmother, since their father had walked out before Michaela even knew him. She had died after a heart attack a few years later. Michaela hadn't reported that she was now an orphan, and taken Grandmother's bakery over before she was fifteen. She had been here four years, with only June as her family. The bakery, called Little Things, was doing well, but there never seemed to be enough money after paying the mortgage for Grandmother's old house, or the bakery's storefront. Free schooling was only provided for Sixes and Sevens, so Michaela had to pay for June's schooling. She had dropped out halfway through her sophomore year, since she had to run the bakery. She had tried to finish the year on her own with her textbooks, but the business had been too demanding, and she had neglected them. Her one and only romantic encounter had proved too time consuming and she had had to break it off. Still, Michaela loved her job. She wasn't about to let her past define her either.

"Aw, do we have to?" June whined.

"How else do you propose we make a living?" Michaela said. June hesitated.

"You could enter the Selection." She said.

"What do you think would happen to the bakery while I'm gone? More importantly, what would happen to _you _while I'm gone? There's no one to take care of you." Michaela was surprised by the venom in her voice.

"…sorry, Mickie." June said, hurt. "I just thought it would be cool. You could become, like, a princess, though."

Michaela sighed. June had made a bad situation worse. She clenched her teeth, trying not to let her anger get the better of her.

"You know what I would give to enter, June?" Michaela's hard feelings at her situation had crept back, and she couldn't push them away. "But I can't. Because no one bothered to stick around and take care of me. I had to become an adult at fourteen. I would practically kill to be in the Selection. But I can't. I own a business now, and I'm basically your mother."

"I-I didn't think about that." June whispered, tears welling in her eyes. She was sensitive. She always had been. Michaela knew she had hurt her sister, but couldn't bring herself to apologize. They walked the rest of the way home in silence.

The bakery was about a block away from the home Grandmother had lived in for her last ten years. June and Michaela had lived with her for four years, in the small, two bedroom white cottage. They had shared the guest bedroom then, but after Michaela had put her past behind her and moved forward, she had claimed Grandmother's bedroom as her own. The girls climbed up the steps to the charming southern style porch, where they paused so Michaela could get the keys out.

"Once we both take a shower and change, we'll head over." Michaela said. She had left it in the hands of their single employee, Kellie, but she had to get back. "Make sure to wash your hair. Salt water will give you terrible split ends." She said. June brushed by her and into the house without acknowledging she had heard. Michaela sighed, and stepped into the cool air conditioning after her. She went into her room and set her bag down. She heard the single shower turn on, and wished they had two bathrooms for the millionth time. She was sticky from salt water, sweaty, sandy and gross. She decided to leave the clean, carpeted bedroom before she got sand in her sheets or something. She walked down the short hallway that housed the bedrooms and bathroom, and into the main part of the house. The foyer was small, opening up to the kitchen and tiny dining area on the right, and the living room area across from the front door. It was small, but perfect for two people. Michaela shivered in the wet swimsuit, combined with the air conditioning. She heard June turn the shower.

"Finally." She muttered, going back to her bedroom to get some clean clothes. She intercepted June going to her own bedroom when she came out of hers.

"June, I'm sorry." She began.

"Micaela, I'm sorry." June said at the same time she did. Both girls grinned at each other, the simple mistake suddenly leading to their reconciliation.

"It's okay." Michaela said. "I was wrong to blow up at you like that."

"I shouldn't have brought it up." June said, bending over to twist her wet locks into a towel. "But hear me out. Enter the Selection. At the very least, nothing will happen and you won't get picked. But if you do, we'll get some money, and then we won't have to worry about the rent or anything anymore."

"June, that-"

"I know it will be hard. But Kellie and I can run the bakery. I can stay with her, or she can even stay here. Or we could rent it out or something to earn some extra money. We leave her alone at least once a week, already. We won't do any big orders, and we can even change the hours if we want I'm almost eleven, Mickie. It'll be fine. You deserve this."

"I can't." Michaela said.

"You can and you will, even if I have to enter for you!" June said. Michaela looked at her sister. She felt like she was looking at a younger version of herself. She wanted this; she wanted to enter so badly. But duty pulled her back. But now, things were different. She rubbed her temples, thinking.

"Okay." She said finally. "But let me shower first."

"Eeeee!" June squealed throwing her arms around Michaela. She quickly stepped back. "Ew, you're all wet and sandy."

"All the more reason to hug you!" Michaela teased, embracing her little sister. June struggled, giggling, but then hugged her back.

"Now hurry up. If you hurry, you can go to the service office before it closes!" June said skittering toward the kitchen. Michaela laughed, and stepped into the bathroom. June was almost more excited about this than her!

…

Cordelia Whitney knew this was her destiny. She clutched the letter with both hands, her freshly manicured jade colored nails digging lightly into the expensive paper. She would win the Selection, and become Queen of Illea. Plus, as a Two and a famous actress, the other girls didn't stand a chance. She began to fill out the form.

_Name: Cordelia Elizabeth Whitney _

_Age: 18_

_Province: Columbia_

_Caste: Two_

_Occupation: Actress_

_Hair color: brunette _

_Eye color: brown_

_Skin tone: tan_

_Height: 5'8_

_Weight: 124_

_Languages spoken: English, Russian, some French_

_Hobbies: Acting, modeling, playing saxophone, shopping, _

Cordelia finished writing her contact information and schooling information. She had finished high school in the best private school in Columbia, and was in the process of getting her theatre degree, but was also working on a new movie. She had no doubt the shy awkward Prince Ethan knew who she was. In fact, she had even met him at a fundraiser of sorts, and everyone already knew who she was after her most recent movie, where she played yet again the beautiful heroine. It would be a huge mistake for her not to be chosen as one of the candidates.

The only thing Cordelia didn't want to do was go to get her photo taken/ She was sure to be recognized, and would end up signing autographs and taking pictures for an hour. Maybe she could get special clearance. Cordelia walked through her palatial bedroom to one of the huge bay picture windows, overlooking the gardens and the heated Olympic sized swimming pool, enclosed with a glass façade. She pushed one of the buttons on her wall, summoning her maid to help her prepare for her picture. She contacted the family's driver through the intercom, requesting that he be ready in less than an hour to take her. When Isa arrived, Cordelia followed her into the closet, which was at least half the size of her bedroom and filled with expensive, designer clothing.

"What look did you have in mind, miss?" Isa asked, ruffling through the racks. Cordelia sighed.

"Something I haven't worn before. I'm sure my fans will recognize me." She said, flipping her dark ponytail over her shoulder. "But I want to look good, of course." Cordelia felt like rolling her eyes. Did she have to everything on her own? Isa pulled out a skin tight pair of white jeans and a royal blue blazer.

"How do you like this, miss?" She said softly.

"Ugh, that's awful! Blue looks terrible with my eyes. And jeans that tight will just make me look fat. You are so incompetent!" She snapped.

"I'm sorry, miss." Isa whispered, turning back toward the closet to hide her blush.

"Well, you should be." Cordelia said. Isa didn't reply and just rummaged through the hangers. After several minutes with still nothing to wear, Cordelia lost her patience. "How long does it take to find a simple outfit, Isa? It's not the red carpet, just a picture. It won't matter what I wear, anyway. I'm already guaranteed a spot." She yelled.

"How about this, then?" Isa held out a short fitted dress, in dark red.

"That will do, I guess. I'm telling my mother about this, and she'll have you fired. It shouldn't take half an hour to find me a dress."

"Oh, no, miss. Please don't! I'm so sorry, but I need this job!" Isa cried. "My daughter isn't yet a year old, and my husband-"

"Is that _any _of my concern?" Cordelia raised a thinly plucked eyebrow. "You still have to get me ready. Find some shoes and accessories, and plug in the curling iron. And hurry up!" She didn't wait for Isa's response, but snatched the dress from Isa's shaking hand and stalked to the bathroom. She quickly slipped it on, and stalked into the powder room. Isa handed her a pair of five inch wedges, in red. Cordelia sat at the vanity, strapping on the shoes. She ignored how tight the dress was on her thighs and bust. In her eyes, she didn't need to lose weight. Isa quietly began curling her hair. Cordelia studied her face in the mirror. Her face still held the childish look, especially her cheeks. Would she ever look grown up enough to play the love interest instead of the cute daughter, the child? Maybe once she won the Selection, she would.

…

**Opinions, thoughts? Did you love it, hate it? I was going to write an intro for Amber too, but I don't have time, but hopefully the next chapter will be up soon. My computer is still broken, but I have others I can use. Still, it's a hassle to move files around. **

**But we loved with a love that was more than love—But we loved with a love that was more than love— But we loved with a love that was more than love— But we loved with a love that was more th****Also, let me know if you have an age appropriate celebrity or picture I mind for your character! Here are the girls I have links for face claims or you told me they looked like a celebrity: Hana, Katherine, Elvira, Cordelia, Mackenzie, Lissa, and Taylor. For Adele, Tatiana, Felicity, Amelia, and Dorianne, I took liberties and found one, but if you like different ones, post it on your profile and let me know!**

**As for outfits and stuff, I have links for: Adele, Hana, Katherine, Elvira, Felicity, Cordelia, Michaela, Gracie, Meagan, Mackenzie, Lissa, Amber and Taylor. If you have them, but your character is not included in this list, or you want to make some, PLEASE let me know! Obviously, Guests, you can't do that. LINKS CAN ONLY BE POSTED ON YOUR PROFILE! **

**Thanks for reading!**

**-Shades**


	8. Highs and Lows and Nighttime Worries

**My computer is still broken, so I can't exactly access my files, but I can get them off the internet, thankfully! This is the last chapter of pre-Selection intros, but some characters will get their intros later! It also goes back to Nat and Nicole, and maybe even a princely point of view at the end!**

**I want to thank everyone for reviewing, following, and favoring, including: **EruditeAbnegationMockinjay, 4Love4Love4, mnbvcxz-xx, TheGirlWithTheRainbowTattoo, Demigod-Gallagher-Witch-Girl, theYAfangirl17, **and** delovlies **for reviewing; **TheGirlWithTheRainbowTattoo **and **Fairy not princess **for favoring and following, and shout out to **fairy not princess **for submitting two characters, and for answering all my annoying PM's about her goats, and reading about mine! Also, to **Demigod-Gallagher-Witch-Girl **for the advert in her awesome amazing story. Read it! **

**Without further ado, intros for Sirena (**theYAfangirl17)**and Amber (**4Love4Love4-** read her awesome Selection SYOC**) **and check up on Nat and Nicole!**

…

Sirena Mastrano was drunk. But she didn't care. It was better than nothing. She took another drink of her margarita, and flipped her red curls off her shoulders. She looked around the dimly lit bar, looking for another thrill, another boy, another _something. _ She blinked twice to clear her head, but it did little. Just last weekend, she and the rest of her volleyball team had won the whole college match up. Sure, no one really watched girls college volleyball, but still. After getting her latest modeling contract, she knew many more boys would, just to see her. It felt good being famous. It hurt when all the fame was over and volleyball was over for the year. It would be time to finish up her junior year of college, and focus on modeling full time, now with nothing to distract her. That meant starting again. _Or_, Sirena glumly thought,_ stopping. _Controlling what she ate until she craved the feeling of hunger, or pain. Controlling what she ate until she didn't eat anything. Until something threw her.

It could be anything from a bad break-up, to a heated group text with her girl-friends, to a bad twist in a stupid television show. When she would skip town and get a five star hotel room and spend the night eating away her feelings and then getting rid of it with a simple trick while leaning over the toilet bowl.

The whole prospect brought on an awful feeling of dread. It was no wonder she was excited to be hung-over tomorrow. This was a low, and it was nearly killing her. She had almost committed suicide this time last year. _Maybe I should quit. _ Sirena mused, swirling what was left of her drink in the glass. She didn't get farther than that. Quit volleyball, modeling, starving herself and binge eating, drinking? She was always looking for the next thrill, and when there wasn't any, life wasn't worth living. Her friends always thought of her as a bubbly fun-loving person, but that only seemed to be the case during her 'highs'. Right now, though, she was at an all time low. And not even alcohol in excess was helping.

Sirena gulped down the last of her drink, suddenly needed to be alone. It was becoming too much. She slipped off her barstool, and grabbed her purse. Her heels clicked on the floor as she hurried to the bathroom. Thankfully, it was empty. She went to the last stall, and locked the door behind her. She pulled down the toilet seat cover and sat down. For once, she wasn't going to purposely vomit up the contents of her stomach. She had better methods to get rid of the pain. A good cry might do the trick. As soon as she sat down, the tears came, accompanied by gulping sobs. Sirena unrolled a wad of toilet paper, and tried to mop of the tears, but only succeeded in smearing her makeup around.

When she finally ran out of tears, Sirena took a steadying breath, and exited the stall. She walked to the sink, gripping the counter for support. _I can do this. _She told herself. _I have to get over this. I can't live the rest of my life on a roller coaster of highs and lows. _ She turned on the water, and dipped her hands, letting the water wash away the remaining streaks of mascara and lipstick that somehow hadn't made it onto the tissue with the tears. She looked up, finding her face a wreck. Red, swollen eyes, puffy cheeks, not to mention the raccoon mask her eyeliner had created, and the blotchy foundation and blush, and lipstick. She lowered her face closer to the sink, and filled her hands with water before splashing the water onto her face. She repeated this several times, and then wiped off any trace of her breakdown with several paper towels. She studied her reflection in the mirror. Definitely couldn't face the world again like this. Without makeup, she felt almost naked. Besides that, her carefully curled hair was limp. Her dress, though, looked fine. One wouldn't think a tall redhead could pull off a tight fitting bright orange cocktail dress, but Sirena could make any dress work for her.

From her purse, Sirena took out her blush and foundation compact, her mascara and eyeliner, and a tube of lipstick. She began powdering her pale cheeks. Usually she wore more, but she was just going to call a cab and go home and go to bed. Things might be better in the morning. She brushed blush over her high set cheek bones. It wouldn't do to be seen like this, as the star forward on the Midston University girls volleyball team, a well known model, and the daughter of the Midston governor and a retired supermodel. Besides, Mom was pressuring her to stop having fun and start looking for a husband. Her twentieth birthday was less than two months away. Sirena frowned. She didn't need a man to break her heart. She was a feminist, in all ways. Except she washed her hair, wore a bra, and did her makeup. That was just the essence of a woman, and she didn't see why other women didn't, just to promote so called equality. Women were supposed to be women, not men. And they didn't need more rights then them either. Sirena had her share of breakups, but none of the relationships had been the real deal anyway. She finished her eyeliner, and flicked mascara over her lashes. She dabbed on a little neutral lipstick, and moved to stuff everything back into her purse, when an envelope spilled out, her name written on the front. Sirena raised her eyebrows, trying to remember what it was for, but the alcohol fogged her brain. As she ripped at the envelope, and read the first sentence of one of the two papers, it all came back.

_Our beloved prince, Ethan Shreve, is coming of age this month._

The Selection.

She had stuffed the letter in her purse yesterday before leaving to go meet a friend, since it looked official. She read the rest of the letter, and glanced at the second sheet of paper. The form. For a moment, Sirena didn't know what to do. Flush it down the toilet? Wad it up and throw it away like a paper towel? Fold it back up and leave it in her purse? Fill it out?

_Fill it out? What am I thinking? _Sirena demanded mentally of herself. _Me, a freaking princess? _She surprised herself by laughing. Never in a million years would she have considered it. And now she just stood here with the form in her hand in a crummy bathroom at a bar laughing like a crazed idiot. The sounds coming from within her didn't even sound like her own laughter. The kind of laughing that bordered on crying. Sirena shook her head, and took a deep breath to calm down. Surely she was drunk.

The next thing she knew, she had found an old pen in her purse, and was kneeling on the grimy tile with the form on the sink counter, and she _was filling it out._

_Name: Sirena Blair Mastrano_

_Age: 19_

_Province: Midston_

_Caste: Two_

_Occupation: Model and forward on the Midston University girls volleyball team_

_Hair color: red_

_Eye color: brown_

_Skin tone: fair_

_Height: 5'10_

_Weight: 134_

_Languages spoken: English, French_

_Hobbies: volleyball, fashion, hair, makeup, feminism, parties_

_Highest grade level completed: Currently a junior at Midston University_

Sirena wrote her address and contact information, and she was done before she had even realized what she had done. She checked the time on her phone, but it was nearly one in the morning. The Service Office would definitely be closed by now. Oh well. She haphazardly folded the form up and stuffed it back in her purse. Maybe this wasn't so crazy after all.

…

Amber Autumns stared at the boy in front of her. John quickly averted his gaze, his cheeks red. Amber could only hear the thumping of her heart, and the reverberation of his words in her head. _I don't think we should be doing this anymore. _ _I don't think we should be doing this anymore. _ _I don't think we should be doing this anymore. _ She tried to reply, but couldn't get the words out. She cleared her throat.

"W-what does that mean?" She managed. John shuffled his feet awkwardly.

"I wanna break up." He said quietly. Amber closed her eyes, as if she had been physically slapped.

"Why?" She whispered. John shrugged. She felt anger growing, replacing her pain. "Am I that embarrassing? I agreed that we could date in secret already."

"Amber, I'm sorry, I just-"

"Save it, John. For some girl who wants to hear it. Didn't you know how much I loved you?" Her temper was out of control now, but she wanted him to understand. "Did you?" She demanded. "Did you change your mind after kissing me yesterday? Because I didn't change mine." Her voice had grown to a yell. "Did you ever love me at all, or did you just date me because you felt bad for me?"

Amber didn't give John a chance to reply. "Didn't you know how much I loved you?" She repeated, in a whisper now. The shock of the announcement had gotten the best of her, and she was on the verge of tears. "I gave you everything." She choked out. "But I wouldn't break the law and have sex with you, so you break up with me. What a…" She called him several choice names that her parents would blanch at. John flinched, and tried to say something, but Amber spun around and stalked off, jamming the heels of her hands against her ears. She ran away from the stupid park bench they had just been at, scrubbing at her eyes to wipe away the tears.

What was so wrong with her? Why had the kids always picked on her, even now that she was seventeen? Ever since kindergarten, they had always said no one ever love her. Well, she had certainly been smug. And an idiot for thinking John loved her. Apparently not. After dinner last that night, when John had been walking her home, he had grabbed her hand and pulled her into the portico of an old apartment building and kissed her until she was senseless. He asked her to come to a hotel with him, staring at her like she was all he would ever need. Amber had refused then, but he hadn't seemed that mad. And today, he broke up with her. Amber slowed to a walk, catching sight of the Service Office of Dominica. A line of girls waited outside of it. Amber stopped short, formulating an idea. The Selection. Of course. She broke into a run again, this time toward home. Maybe nothing would happen, but maybe they would. Maybe she would get chosen. Even if she didn't win, when she came home, no one would _dare _bully her. Because she would be famous. She was already a Two, so she didn't need the money or anything, but just the prestige. Amber dashed up the front steps of their dwelling, and into her room, not even bothering to check if anyone was home or say high. She found her form under a pile of fashion sketches she had done yesterday. Maybe her fashion designing would take off after the Selection. Maybe she could even become a singer like she always dreamed off. Amber pulled out a pen with bright purple ink, and began to write. John was nothing to her anymore!

_Name: Amber Elizabeth Autumns_

_Age: 17_

_Province: Dominica_

_Caste: Two_

_Occupation: fashion designer_

_Hair color: red-brown_

_Eye color: amber-brown_

_Skin tone: fair_

_Height: 5'5_

_Weight: 106_

_Languages spoken: English, French, Latin_

_Hobbies: Horseback riding, watching movies, creative writing, signing, fashion designing_

_Highest grade level completed: Junior in high school_

Amber quickly brushed her hair and added a touch of mascara, and ran downstairs.

"I'm going to the Service Office to get my picture taken for the Selection." She said, finding only her twelve year old sister Elise downstairs. "Where are Mom and Dad?"

"Mom's at the meeting with the record label, and Dad is with her. And why? What about John?" Elise said. For some reason, she was obsessive over Amber's relationship.

"What about him?" Amber said a hint of bitterness in her voice. "He broke up with me. That's why I'm entering the Selection." She rolled her eyes at Elise's shocked expression and quickly left.

This all would work out-somehow.

...

Nicole slipped quietly into her and Nat's bedroom. Nat was crying again, but she stopped as soon as Nicole stepped in, and gave a serious of violent sniffs. Nicole sighed, and padded quietly to the closet. Nat rolled over on her side, facing away from Nicole. Nicole sighed again, and shimmied out of her robe. In the dark of the room, she threw on a pair of underwear and the pair of sweatpants and long sleeved tee shirt she slept in. She unwrapped her hair from the towel turban, and squeezed out a little access water, and crept toward her bed, and lay down, the darkness of the room stifling. The wind buffeted the window and Nicole snuggled down further into her quilt.

It had been nearly a week since she and Nat had gone to the Service Office, and Nat had encountered Ben. She had told Nicole that night not to worry, that everything would blow over in a few days, but it hadn't. Ben had refused to speak to her at work for two days until she confronted him in the tack room, and apologized, but he had brushed by her, telling her that nothing she said would get them back together, and confirming the worst. Nat had come home early, saying she was feeling sick, and had cried herself to sleep every night, and barely said anything or ate anything.

She had avoided Nicole, and Nicole knew why. She had been the one who pressured her sister to enter in the first place, when Nat hadn't even wanted to. Now, unless Nat actually got picked, her relationship with Ben was ruined. Maybe Ben would forgive her tomorrow, after the girls were announced on the Report, and Nat wasn't one of them. Maybe it would take a few days or weeks, but she hoped they could rekindle their relationship.

Nicole felt her stomach tightening with the familiar thoughts of the Report that would seal her fate. If she was picked, everything would work out. If not…well, then she was doomed to work in the factory the rest of her life. Even though she was just two castes from being a Two and a professional ballerina, a huge gap existed between the Twos and Threes and Nicole's own caste, the Fours. Usually, money was a barrier. Twos were the famous people, Threes were the upper class wealthy, Fours and some Fives were middle class, while poorer Fives and below were the poor. If Nicole wasn't picked, then she knew everything would most definitely not be alright. She sighed-again-and waited for sleep to take her. As usual, it didn't. She tossed and turned for at least an hour before finally slipping into a light sleep. Tomorrow, her fate would be sealed.

…

Nat heard Nicole tossing and turning, and tried to fall asleep herself, but she just couldn't. She couldn't wait for tomorrow. There was no way she would get picked out of all the girls in Kent, and maybe once Ben realized it, she could talk to him and explain the mistake, and he would forgive her. Even if they didn't get back together, she still sought his forgiveness. She wiped her nose on her pillow, evident of her recent and becoming habitual before-bed cry. She thought back to almost a week ago. She thought Ben would be mad, and threaten a break up, but then, at work, he had given her the silent treatment. There was no way to race, unless he took her. She didn't have a car, and would be chained to her bed and grounded the rest of her life if her parents found out. She had found her chance in the tack room one day, and had blocked the door.

_"Ben, I'm so sorry." _ Nat had said. "_It was all a horrible mistake. Nicole wanted me to sign up. I didn't mean to hurt you or anything. I'm not even going to get picked. I'm so so unbelievably-" _ Ben had cut her off then, turning around with a saddle, and a scowl on his face.

_"Don't be, Nat. Nothing you say or do will get us back together." _He had practically growled, striding towards her without making eye contact. Nat had instinctively stepped by to let him pass.

_"So we're broken up, then?" _ She had called after him. He had snorted, and answered without turning.

_"Yup. Have fun with the Prince." _He had said rudely. Until then, Nat hadn't even realized she was single. And it hurt. Not only did Ben hate her, but her racing career was over. She closed her eyes, tears spilling over again onto her cheeks. Maybe, just maybe, tomorrow would be better. Maybe, Ben would forgive her.

…

Prince Ethan Shreve kicked back his blankets, and got out of bed, stalking to the window. Tomorrow, he would meet his future wife. And thirty four other girls. What if he didn't love any of them? Andrew, his brother, had said that he loved his wife Christine from the first moment he saw her. What if his intended was not one of the Selected? Why did he even have to do this? Something like this would be easy for his brothers. Wesley and Andrew were outgoing and loud. Andrew was a scoundrel, and Wesley was a joker. But Ethan wasn't. He could barely talk to strangers without stuttering, and every time he saw a pretty face, his ears turned red, and he could barely speak. Besides, he wasn't the heir. Andrew was. Unless he were to die, like his uncle, maybe the girls wouldn't want to just be princesses. He didn't have the whole king thing going for him. His parents weren't going to step down for several years, maybe after Wesley's Selection.

Ethan stared out through the window, thinking. Somewhere out there was his wife, and he would meet her tomorrow, whether he wanted to her not. He didn't even know what he wanted in a woman. His maids were all older, married women, since he could barely speak to the younger fairer ones. Did he like blondes? Brunettes? Redheads? Would he like someone shy like him, or his complete opposite? Would anyone actually love him for him, or just for his being a prince?

It was obvious he wasn't going to get any sleep tonight.

…

**Ehh, not so creative on Ethan's part now. Anyway, next chapter will be the announcements, through Nat and Nicole's POVs, and McKenzie's. Maybe some other girls. Let me know what you think, and also, more importantly, who is your favorite (besides your own character, obvs.) so I don't eliminate them. I'm going to go ahead and close the syoc aspect, and just add some names to be eliminated first. If you were planning on submitting a character though, let me know please, and you still can!**


	9. The Selected

zanzibaby, theYAfangirl17, mnbvcxz-xx, Demigod-Gallagher-Witch-Girl, 4Love4Love4 **Thanks for reviewing! This chapter is the revealing of the Selected. I was already going to include Mackenzie and Nat and Nicole, but based on who reviewed already (though I didn't give you much time :P) I choose Elvira, Hana, Dorianne, and Amelia to also do a quick POV from, since they were liked the most! Enjoy!**

…

Mackenzie Parker would have exactly two minutes after hearing the names of the Selected before she had to go on camera again. And, to top it all off, she was entered in the Selection. As the host of the Angeles News Station, all eyes would be on her after the Report that would change the lives of thirty five girls. Angeles, as the capital of Illea, their news channel was the best funded and the most watched news channel, which made the host, Mackenzie, one of the most well known girls in Illea.

By law, no one else could broadcast during the Report, not that anyone would watch another channel anyway. Mackenzie sat nervously at the desk where she reported at. The teleprompter was blank, and they were on the last commercial break before a quick segment and then tune off for the Report. Mackenzie was dressed in a hot pink dress, as usual, complete with a short hem and low neckline. The hair and make-up person buzzed annoyingly around her, spritzing her shoulder length strawberry blonde hair with hairspray and re-curling segments. Someone else was pressing powder on her forehead and dabbing on lip gloss at the same time. Usually, Mackenzie would be snapping at them, and telling them to hurry up, but tonight, she was too nervous.

Initially, she wasn't going to bother with the Selection. What was the point? She was only eighteen, but everyone knew who she was. Daddy was already rich, and Mak was too. She had the best job in Illea, unless she wanted to be an actress who had a few hit films and then messed up at the red carpet and was never hired again. The only thing left was to be Queen. Unfortunately, she had been only fourteen when the heir to the throne, Prince Andrew, had had his Selection. So she had settled for the next best thing-princess. Of course, she hadn't just changed her mind over night. Steven had been so close to asking her out, or so she thought. But, then he had to ask her now former best friend out instead. So entering the Selection hadn't been so hard after that. Besides, Daddy had practically begged her, his only daughter, to enter. He kept saying that it would be what Mom wanted, and that she was so beautiful and lovely that it wouldn't be hard for her. He was right, of course.

Mackenzie was bordering on freaking out, though. As the week had dragged on, she realized how much she desperately wanted to win the Selection, and the only way to do that was to be picked. She didn't know how to handle her reaction, though. If she wasn't picked, she would probably break down, and still have to report. If she was, she would probably scream and scream and then start crying. Either way, she would end up embarrassing herself. She had asked the management if she could take tonight off, but they wanted her perspective on the story.

She was jerked back to reality as the cameraman's voice interrupted her thoughts.

"And, we're live…now!" He said. Mackenzie quickly pasted a toothpaste commercial smile on her face.

"We're just a few minutes from seeing who the thirty five lucky girls are who will come here to Angeles and compete for Prince Ethan's heart and the chance to be queen." Mackenzie said, eyes glued to the teleprompter. "Make sure to tune back in after the Report to see a overview of the Selected, and exclusive interviews from the royal family."

She said her closing words, and then looked back at her notes while the camera cut off. Mackenzie dropped the smile quickly, and got up.

"Can we get the Report on, please?" She demanded, pushing aside the hair and make-up crew. She stood directly in front of the TV that was in the studio, not caring if anyone else could see.

This was it. The lives of thirty five girls were about to change. She just hoped she would be one of them.

The Illean flag, waving cheesily in the breeze showed up on the Screen, and Mackenzie heard the familiar strains of the anthem. She rolled her eyes. "Cut the crap, just get to the Selected." She muttered. She never had had much patience.

King Jackson appeared. "Good evening, my fellow Illeans. Tonight marks a special event in the life of my second son, Ethan. I know all you young ladies who entered can't wait to hear who the lucky thirty five are, so I'll keep my announcements brief. We still have no regained control of the province of Yukon, although there have no casualties on our side yet. We still don't have word on how the citizens of the province are faring. The provinces of Atlin and Sonage, which border Yukon, are doing all they can to provide aid for the cut off Illeans. We hope that you keep the people of Yukon in your thoughts and prayers." The king finished and stepped down, and two of the advisors stepped to the podium to give an announcement about taxes and finances and stuff like that.

Mackenzie tuned out the boring news, and instead concentrated on Prince Ethan. There was no doubt he was attractive. Dark hair, steely hazel eyes and just enough beard stubble to make him a total hottie. He looked nervous though. His face was pale, and his hands were clenched, and he kept looking around. While everyone was watching the advisors, his brothers were taking the advantage and teasing him. Andrew, the eldest, looked more like his mother, with chestnut hair. He leaned toward Ethan and whispered something in his ear, grinning. Ethan scowled, and Wesley, the younger stifled a laugh as he elbowed Ethan, and then put on a serious face. Andrew and Wesley kept tormenting Ethan until Christine, Andrew's wife, noticed, and restrained her husband. The sister, Princess Michelle, kicked Wesley's calf with her red high heel, and he kicked her back.

The squabble went on for at least a few minutes until Queen Francesca noticed and put a stop to it by clearing her throat. Immediately, all four of her kids stopped and focused their attention on the Master of Events, who was saying things about specials on meeting the girls and their lives at the palace. Then, he introduced the official interviewer on the Report, Taren Granger. He stepped confidently onto the set, his reddish brown hair contrasting with his dark gray suit and deep red tie.

"Thank you, sir." He said to the Master of Events. "I know you all are on your toes waiting to see who the Selected are, but I'm going to drag it out a little longer. He turned to the King. "Good evening, your majesty." He said. King Jackson nodded, smiling for once. "How do you feel about another son doing some growing up today?" Taren asked. The king laughed slightly.

"Old." He said, chucking, prompting laughs from his wife and children and the gathered advisors. Christine and Andrew gave each other loving looks, and Queen Francesca gave fifteen year old Wesley a one armed hug. Taren laughed.

"Queen Francesca, any advice for your son?" Taren asked, extending the microphone to the chestnut haired beauty. She smiled at Ethan.

"Don't be deceived by appearances. A beautiful girl may not have a beautiful heart." She said, squeezing Ethan's hand. Mackenzie snorted, and rolled her eyes. The Queen was beautiful, and that's why King Jackson had chosen her.

"Any words of wisdom to the Selected who are now experiencing what you did, Princess Christine?" Taren said. The blonde dimpled, and exchanged another cute look with Andrew.

"Follow your heart. Just because he's a Prince doesn't mean he's the one for you." She said. "But he might be." She added, giving a quick wink to the camera.

"What about you, Prince Andrew?"

"Don't make your final choice if you can't decide." Andrew said. "Wait until you know."

"Was that in your case?" Taren asked. Andrew laughed and shook his head.

"I knew from the moment I saw her picture." He said. Mackenzie saw Ethan's nervous look turn to practically terrified.

"Anything you would like to add, Prince Wesley, Princess Michelle?" Taren asked.

"Be yourself, to the Selected and to my brother." Michelle said, her dark curls framing her face as she turned to Ethan.

"Add save some for me." Wesley added off-handedly. Everyone giggled at this.

"Wise words, from all of you." Taren said. "And with that, join me in congratulating the following daughters of Illea!"

The screen changed to the national emblem. In the upper right-hand corner, there was a small box with Ethan's face, to see his reactions as the pictures went across the monitor. Taren had a set of cards in his hands, ready to read out the names of the girls whose lives were about to change. Mackenzie felt her earlier nerves return, and she felt eyes of the crew on her, and bit her lip nervously.

"Starting with our capital province, Angeles…" Taren began, looking at the card in his hand, and grinning. "A well known beauty." He paused for drama, and the set of the Angeles New Station went absolutely silent. "Miss Mackenzie Parker of Angeles News, a Two."

Mackenzie barely registered the fact that her picture was on the screen, and that Ethan smiled a hint of a smile, and Wesley gave a wolf-whistle. Then she realized it.

She was in the Selection.

As predicted, she let out a scream of happiness, and jumped to her feet. She began jumping up and down, so she missed the next several girls. Everyone in the studio began clapping and congratulating her and her cell phone buzzed with text messages and rang with phone calls. Mackenzie started to cry out of sheer joy, and the makeup crew rushed over so she wouldn't ruin her makeup. Mackenzie was on her way to being a princess!

…

Nicole sucked in a breath, as the announcements began.

"Miss Mackenzie Parker of Angeles News, a Two." Taren said. A familiar picture of a girl with strawberry blonde hair popped up on the television. Next to her, Nat wrinkled her nose.

"It's that dumb girl on the news. Man, I hate her." Nat said. Nicole relaxed a little. The old Nat was starting to come back.

"I think she's hot." Jason said, before Eva shushed him. Nicole turned back to the television.

"Miss Elly Olsen of Bonita, another Two." Taren said. A picture of girl with dark blonde hair and olive toned skin appeared. Ethan's face didn't change. In fact, he appeared to be shaking.

"Somehow, I don' think he likes her." Nat said sarcastically. He chuckled to herself.

"Miss Erica Carter of Zuni, a Six." A girl with brown curls and blue eyes showed up. Ethan's eyebrows crinkled for a moment, as did Nicole's. _A Six? She won't last long. _

"Miss Saskia Buchannan of Honderagua, a Six." At the brunette's picture, Ethan's tiny smile faded.

"Miss Autumn Hunter of Paloma, a Six, yet again." Taren said. Another brunette appeared, but Ethan remained neutral.

"Miss Megan Stewart of Panama, our fourth Six." A small blue-eyed blonde showed up. Ethan smiled a little. Nat rolled her eyes.

"What's with all the Sixes?" She complained. Nicole shrugged.

"And from Dominica, Miss Aurora Clarisse Bande, a Two." Taren said. A blonde girl Nicole had seen in many movies appeared.

"I know her!" Lea cried. Eva shushed her.

"Normally, we would announce Yukon now, but we will have the final Selected and dedication at the end. Just a reminder, a random province will be chosen, and a girl randomly chosen from that province." Taren said. "Moving on, from Baffin, Miss Alana Harowski, a Three." A picture of a girl with auburn barrel roll curls appeared a sarcastic smile on her face. Ethan didn't seem to like or dislike her, but his smile had slipped, Nicole noticed.

"Miss Alexina Jane Lee of Ottaro, a Three." A picture of a pretty New Asian girl appeared. Ethan didn't smile, but gave a terse nod.

" Miss Ava Rotham of Hansport, a Four." Taren said. A picture of a girl with obviously dyed cinnamon colored hair appeared.

"Looks like someone forgot to dye their eyebrows." Nat added, smirking. Nicole looked again, and noticed the girl had blonde eyebrows. She looked at the monitor, and saw that Ethan still looked unhappy.

"Miss Audra Jepsen of Lakedon, a Seven." Taren said. A girl with light brown hair appeared. Ethan's neutral face turned to a slight frown. Queen Francesca was wrinkling her brow at the prospect of a Seven.

"She looks like a walrus." Nat commented.

"You always see the best in everyone, don't you?" Jason joked. Nat shrugged.

"She does."

"You're right." Jason agreed.

"From Likely, Miss Ruby Larson, a Five." A girl with red hair and green eyes appeared. Ethan didn't react to her.

"Miss Lilly Gaston of Clermont, another Five." Taren said, as a scrawny girl with brown hair and green eyes appeared.

"Poor guy. He doesn't like any of them" Nat said.

"Miss Juliella Alonzo of Allens, a Four." A brunette with glasses appeared. Ethan didn't cheer up.

"What kind of name is Juliella?" Nat scoffed. Nicole realized just how bitter her twin was about the whole thing.

"From Fennley, Miss Adele Roxanne Warren, a Five." A picture of a pretty girl with short blonde curls and red lipstick appeared. Ethan finally cracked a smile. Nicole barely noticed. After Fennley would be Atlin, then Kent. Then Nicole would know.

"Miss Gracelyn Luna of Atlin, a Three." Gracelyn was grinning in her picture, with wavy light golden blonde hair. Ethan's smile grew a little more, but his eyes were sparkling.

"Oooh, he likes her!" Eva pointed out. Everyone shushed her.

"Kent's next." Mom whispered to her. Nicole felt Nat slide her hand into hers, and squeeze it. It seemed to take an unnecessarily long time for Taren to speak. Nicole squeezed her eyes shut, but Nat kept hers glued to the Screen.

"From Kent…" Taren began. Nicole felt like throwing up. "Miss Natalia Gwen Rosalyn, a Four."

Nicole opened her eyes just long enough to see her spitting image smiling on the Screen, and Prince Ethan still looking somewhat happy before tears blurred her vision. She heard Nat scream and then everyone was jumping around, and Eva and Lea were squealing like piglets. Nat jumped off the couch, letting go of Nicole's hand.

"Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!" Nat kept saying, jumping up and down. Nicole sank back on the couch. She had tried so hard. She _wanted _this. She _deserved _it. Nat didn't even care. _Maybe that's what I get for messing up her life._ Nicole thought. _But now she messed up mine._ She shook off her tears, and put on a brave smile. Looking upset would be bad. She would just have to pretend to be happy. For Nat.

…

Amelia Wilde felt herself start to shake. Sixteen girls had already been announced. If she didn't get picked…there wasn't much hope for future love life.

"From Whites, Miss Tatiana Rose Sarvex, a Three." A girl with curly light red-brown hair that set off blue eyes and pale skin appeared. Prince Ethan seemed to like her, but the boy seemed so nervous, it was hard to tell.

"From Tammins, Miss Melissa Tiffany Dove, a Seven." A really pretty girl with long dark blonde curls appeared a warm smile on her face. Ethan perked up a little.

"From Sumner, Miss Michaela Williams, a Four." Another gorgeous girl appeared, with golden blonde almost beachy curls and light green eyes. Apparently, Ethan liked what he saw.

"Miss Felicity Mae Weaver of St. George, a Five." A girl with auburn waves showed up. Ethan kept smiling, so good sign.

"Miss Amber Elizabeth Autumns of Denbeigh, a Two." Taren said. Amelia gulped as she took in the girl with reddish brown hair and a determined smile showed up. After Midston, her fate would be sealed.

"Miss Sirena Blair Mastrano of Midston, a Two." A redhead Amelia had seen in clothing adds before showed up. She clutched her fists, and shut her eyes. This was it. She felt Zach pat her shoulder in comfort, and strained her ears.

"From Carolina, Miss Amelia Cressida Wade, a Three." Amelia opened her eyes, and barely saw herself and Prince Ethan smiling before Zach and her mom tackled her with hugs. Amelia started crying right off, and a tingle spread through her body as the realization dawned. For some reason, she heard Taren's next words very clearly.

"From Labrador, Miss Erin Rusk, a Two and a cadet in the Illean Military Academy."

Amelia immediately stopped crying, and gasped. Erin. Ex best friend turned enemy. The girl who betrayed her and cheated with her boyfriend behind Amelia's back smiled on the TV. It was too much.

Winning the Selection suddenly had new meaning.

…

Dorianne glanced over at Nancy. Her foster mother commented on Erin's light brown skin as she was announced. Dorianne cringed. She hadn't run away yet, but she would tonight if she wasn't announced.

"Miss Taylor Marci Hollister, from Sota, a Seven." Taren said. A gorgeous girl with warm blue eyes, dark hair, and dimples appeared on the television.

"And from Waverly we have…" Taren began.

"You didn't enter, did you?" Nancy suddenly asked. Dorianne opened her mouth to answer, but let out a scream instead.

"Miss Dorianne Skylar Davenport, a Four." Taren said. Dorianne screamed again, and was acutely aware of the phone ringing. Nancy dropped the bottle of wine she was drinking, and it shattered on the floor. Dorianne covered her mouth with her hands as joyful sobs spilled out. Nancy stood up, looking mad. Really mad.

"Don't you dare hurt me." Dorianne surprised herself by whispering. "Or I'll tell the King when I get there, and he'll arrest you." Nancy stopped dead in her tracks.

Dorianne realized her life hadn't just changed. It had transformed.

…

Hana's hand was being squeezed to death by Diana as her friend dealt with nerves.

"I can't stand this anymore!" Diana cried. "Why does Belcourt have to be so far down?"

"Shh, they're announcing another one." Hana said.

"And from Bankston, Miss Brynlee Christine Harris, a Five." Brynlee had sandy blonde curls and blueish eyes, but it was hard to tell. Ethan kept his small smile in place.

"She's really pretty." Hana said.

"You've said that about everyone!" Diana said, tapping her feet impatiently.

"They're all supposed to pretty, though." Hana defended. "Now hush up. Only a few more."

"From Columbia, Miss Cordelia Elizabeth Whitney, a Two." A girl with a round face and dark brown hair appeared.

"It's that actress!" Diana cried. "I love her! I would kill to get her autograph."

"You might, if you're chosen." Hana reminded her.

"From Dakota, Miss Cora Abel, a Three." A girl with white-blonde hair and a gentle smile appeared. Ethan nodded, a bit his lip.

"Oh, shoot. We're next!" Diana cried, just about breaking Hana's hand.

"From Belcourt, Miss Hana Andromeda Piper, a Three." Taren said. She and Diana screamed at the same time, and then both started to cry. Well, Hana couldn't decide whether to laugh or cry, but Diana was sobbing. She looked at Hana, anger in her eyes.

"I have to go." She said, putting on her flats, and grabbing her purse. Hana heard the rest of her family running up to her room.

"Don't you want to watch the rest?" She asked.

"What's the point?" Diana said miserably. "I don't think I can make it to the mall tomorrow either." She said.

"Why not?" Hana asked as Taren announced someone else. But Diana was gone. Hana barely heard the congratulations as her parents and brothers and sister in law bestowed on her. She was in the Selection, but had lost her best friend.

…

Elvira paced around her room as a girl named Hana was announced. Her bunkmates kept telling her to stop, because they wanted to see.

"I wanna see these losers." Sasha said.

"Not to mention his Royal Hotness." Pauline added. Elvira rolled her eyes. They didn't know that she had been forced to sign up.

"Miss Kathrine Evelynn Page from Calgary, a Four." Taren said, revealing a slightly plain brunette. However, Prince Ethan grinned wider than he had for a while.

"Why do they even have this?" Kimberly said, getting up from her chair. "It's so dumb." Elvira vaguely recalled that Kimberly was from Calgary, and couldn't hide her smile.

"From Hudson Miss Summer Lee, a Five." A girl with caramel colored hair appeared. Prince Ethan wasn't smiling so big anymore.

"And lastly, from Sonage, we have…" Taren drew it out. "Miss Elvira Entrinken, a Two, and private in our military." He stuttered a little over her last name, and a second later, Elvira's picture showed up. _The _picture. Elvira surprised herself by cursing, and then heard the guffaws of her bunkmates.

"Why that picture?" Marcelle cried, tears streaming down her face from laughter.

"Because my dad made me enter and it was the only thing I could do to stop it!" Elvira cried, suddenly feeling very dizzy. The next thing she knew, she hit the ground in a faint.

…

Nat didn't know what to think. She just knew she was in the Selection. She had barely anytime to think as they watched the rest of the girls in a blur. She had missed Ethan's reaction to her, but so far, he seemed to like Gracelyn and Katherine the best.

"And now, we will choose the province and the girl to honor our captive citizens in Yukon." Taren was saying, as someone handed him a small black box.

"Our King will do the honors. It here, all thirty four provinces, besides Yukon, are written twice. Once we choose one, a girl will be randomly selected. He held the box out to King Jackson, he dipped his hand in, and came out with a small folded piece of paper.

"In honor of Yukon, we will be selecting two girls from Kent." He said.

"Oh no, I hope it's no one I hate." Nat said quickly. "Like that Marjorie girl. Or Carrie Ann."

"Ben's sister?" Nicole asked quietly. Nat nodded. Taren now had a larger box, and held it out to the Queen.

"Queen Francesca, the fate of one girl lies with you." He joked, as she took the box. "It may be a moment while we find her picture. The Screen cut back to the half on Ethan and the royal family, and half for a picture of a girl.

"Okay." The Queen said, handing Taren a piece of paper. He handed it to someone off screen, and for a moment, there was an awkward silence as he silently communicated. Taren gave a quick nod.

"In honor of Yukon," He began. "Miss Nicole Genevieve Rosalyn, a Four from Kent, will take her place."


	10. Perspectives

**Okay, thoughts. I just realized I have a week until school starts again. So, I can't spend all day writing anymore *cough* yesterday *cough*. Would you guys prefer longer less frequent updates, or shorter, more frequent updates? **

**Anyway, this is a chapter getting Ethan's perspective on the Selected, as well as some other royal folks! I've channeling my writing with the help of music to get me in the mood. I've been listening to a lot of music from Disney's Cinderella, and the Beauty and the Beast London soundtrack. Oh dear. I'm starting to sound like **delovlies.

**Huge thanks to my reviewers-**TheGirlWithTheRainbowTattoo, mnbvcxz-xx, EruditeAbnegationMockinjay, RadicalLlama, 4Love4Love4 (**whose own story inspired this chapter**), theYAfangirl17, zanzibaby **and **delovlies, **who was too lazy to sign in (love ya, sis!) **

***Note* **RadicalLlama **pointed out to me that I messed up her character's name. Instead of "Juliella", it's supposed to be "Junilella". So sorry! Also, Audra, Saskia, and Ava are characters that I and **delovlies **made up to hate on, so we poke a lot of fun at them! **

…

Ethan studied the stack of papers sitting on his desk. His mother, the Queen, had so thoughtfully found all the forms from the girls who were coming to the palace in a few days. Ethan figured that their lives were being turned upside-down right now. Representatives from the palace were probably barging into their homes, fitting them for their wardrobes, telling them the stupid rules of the Selection, getting them on vitamins, getting their signatures. The maids were working overtime sewing all the dresses and getting the rooms ready and everything. And yet, it almost didn't seem real.

One of the girls in this stack of papers was to be his wife.

Michelle had kicked him a third of the way through the revelations of the girls, telling him to smile or something instead of just sitting there absorbing. He shuffled through the papers, trying to decide who to look at. Mother had arranged them in alphabetical order, so he decided to leave it.

Just then, the door to his quarters flew open, ushering in Wesley. Ethan groaned, and quickly hid the papers.

"Whatcha doin'?" Wesley drawled lazily.

"Stuff Dad wanted me to study." Ethan said. "I'm busy, so get out."

"Nuh-uh. I saw Mom give you those papers, and I saw you hide them." Wesley joked. Ethan rolled his eyes. His little brother was almost sixteen, but still acted like a little kid sometimes.

"Forget it, Wes." Ethan said.

"Hey, the Selecion is nothing to be embarrassed of. I'll help you go though the girls, get a different perspective on them? I haven't seen a girl since the princess of Spain was here with her dad." Wesley said.

"She was eighteen. Way too old for you."

"That didn't stop me from looking. Man, she was hot." Wesley said with an impish smile.

"What about the maids?"

"They're the maids. Duh. You don't rate maids." Wesley said. "Now give me those papers. I want to see that Mackenzie chick again."

"Wes, this is kind of personal."

"Not really. One of these girls is going to be my sister-in law. I want to know more about them."

"I thought you said you wanted to check them out." Ethan said, grinning.

"I wanna do both." Wesley said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Brother bonding time, and you didn't invite me?" A new loud voice rang out. Ethan glanced to the open door, spying his older brother Andrew striding toward them. Ethan groaned inwardly. So much for personal reflections.

"Nah, we were just goin' through Ethan's concubines." Wesley said, giggling. Ethan shoved him roughly backwards, getting up from his desk.

"They're not concubines." He growled. "When are you going to grow up?"

"When I get older." Wesley snickered.

"Leave off, Ethan." Andrew joked. "He was just kidding. You don't have to keep them all to yourself." Andrew said loudly.

"Might I remind you that you're married?" Ethan countered. "Can you guys just leave me alone? You can annoy me all you want later, but have to do this now."

"Aw, what are brother's for?" Andrew said. "Give me those papers." He held out his hand. Reluctantly, Ethan handed them to him, and flopped onto his bed. Andrew leaned against the wall, and cleared his throat dramatically, while Wesley claimed Ethan's desk chair.

"First, we have Adele Roxanne Warren." He said, holding out a form. "She's a Five, but a live theatre performer."

"She's hot." Wesley said. Ethan did have to admit Adele was pretty, with her short dark blonde curls, and the red lipstick she wore in the photo.

"I'd say she's a seven, maybe eight." Wesley said.

"She's a Five, dummy." Ethan said, annoyed.

"No, on a scale of one to ten." Andrew explained. "I agree. Ethan?"

"Eight…" Ethan rolled his eyes and Andrew laid Adele's form on the desk.

"Next is Alana Harwoski, a Four who loves to shop."

"I give her a three." Wesley said. "That hair…" He grimaced slightly at her overdone auburn curls.

"Ehh, I'd say even two." Andrew looked at the picture again.

"Three." Ethan said. Andrew put the form on the opposite side of the desk, away from Adele's.

"What about Alexina Jane Lee?" He held up the solitary New Asian girl's profile. "She's a Three who writes stuff and plays video games."

"Ten definitely." Wesley said. The older brothers gave him a look. "What? She plays video games?" He countered.

"Two." Andrew said. "She's not even that pretty."

"Three." Ethan added.

"Okay, fine." Wesley grumbled as Andrew covered Alana's form with Alexina's.

"Thoughts on Amber Elizabeth Autumns, a Two who designs clothes?" Andrew said.

"Six." Ethan and Wesley chorused.

"I was going to say the same thing." Andrew said. "Okay, Amelia Cressida Wilde?" He held a picture of a brunette with ivory skin. "She's also a writer."

"Eight." Ethan said.

"Seven." Wesley argued. " I hate writing stuff."

"Does that change how she looks?" Andrew said, chuckling. Wesley nodded vehemently. "Well, I say eight, so ha." Andrew covered Adele's form with Amelia's.

"And now, Audra Jepsen, a Seven who works at a nightclub."

"Doing what is what I'd like to know." Wesley grinned. "Too bad she looks like a walrus."

"I rate her as a one." Ethan decided.

"Yup." Andrew agreed, laying the form in its appropriate place. "How about Autumn Hunter, a dancer, but a Six?" He displayed a picture of a blue eyed blonde.

"Six." Ethan determined.

"Yeah." Wesley said.

"Okay…" Andrew put aside the form. "What about Ava Rotham, who obviously forgot to dye eyebrows?"

"One." Ethan said.

"Not even that." Wesley said. "Aren't these girls supposed to be pretty?"

"What about Brynlee Christine Harris? She's a Five."

"Six or Seven." Wesley said. "I don't like curly hair."

"Well, she's not on of your thirty five girlfriends, is she?" Andrew teased. "Ethan?"

"Seven." Ethan said, swatting Wesley on the arm.

"Okay, so Cora Abel, a Three training to be a vet." Cora's form displayed a girl with white-blonde hair, and blue eyes, yet striking tan skin.

"Seven." Ethan said.

"Really? I'd say eight." Wesley said.

"Okay, I'll vote to break it, and I say eight." Andrew said loudly. "Moving on, how about a familiar face, Cordelia Whitney, the actress?" Ethan studied the brunette. She was pretty, but her round face made her look younger than she was.

"Five." He said. Wesley nodded his agreement.

"What about Miss Dorianne Davenport, a Four?" He held up a picture of a girl with dark hair, and a somewhat nervous look to her. She wasn't drop dead gorgeous, but she was pretty, and Ethan felt drawn to her.

"Seven." He said

"What?" Wesley sat upright. "Barely even a five."

"Too bad, she's not one of your thirty five girlfriends." Ethan joked. "I like her."

"Okay, so I guess she's a seven." Andrew picked up a new form. "Elly Olsen, a professional dancer? I'm very partial to that myself. She'll have to give up her career though." Ethan smirked. It was funny to hear your brother reference his wife so tenderly.

"Christine is way hotter than this girl, though." Wesley said. Andrew shot him a glare.

"Dude, that's weird." Ethan said, although to himself, his sister in law did beat out Elly. While her dirty blonde hair and blue eyes weren't too bad, her olive skin just didn't work with the whole combination.

"Not really. I just complemented her! Seriously, this girl used the wrong spray tan." Wesley said. "Elly gets a three from me."

"Yeah, three sounds about right." Ethan agreed. Andrew still looked peeved from Wesley comment complementing his wife, and didn't say anything, but set Elly's form at the low end of the table, and picked up the next one.

"Elvira Entrinken?" He held up a picture of a beautiful girl with alabaster skin and dark hair, with starling gray eyes. "She's in the army." Wesley wolf-whistled.

"She's in the army? She's a ten!" He said excitedly.

"Eh, I'll give her a nine." Ethan said.

"Agreed." Andrew said. "Moving onto Erica Carter, a Six." He showed them a picture of a somewhat plain brunette. "A three?"  
"Yup." Wesley nodded, and Ethan shrugged.

"Sure."

"Right, now we're getting somewhere. Thoughts on Erin Rusk, a Two in the Illean Military Academy?"

"Whoa, she kind of scares me. In a good way, though. Eight." Wesley said.

"Eight." Ethan affirmed.

"What about Felicity Mae Weaver, a Five? She and that Adele girl are in the same theatre company." He held up Felicity's form and a picture of a girl with auburn waves.

"Six." Ethan said.  
"Sounds about right." Wesley nodded. "Andrew?"

"I'd even go to a seven but I'm already taken." He rubbed his scruffy beginnings of a beard, grinning.

"Enough of the mushy talk, who's next?" Wesley said impatiently. "We all get it that you're in love, but we don't care." He teased.

"Who's next? It's that girl Ethan liked. Gracelyn Luna." Andrew shoved the picture toward Ethan. He looked at, remembering the blonde from the Report. She was not only beautiful, but had such a sweet smile that he couldn't help but like her.

"Ten." He said.

"Nah, barely even a nine." Wesley said. "Bu it's your Selection, I guess."

"Yeah, it is, so shut up." Ethan said, but he couldn't help but grin. He couldn't wait to meet Gracelyn.

"Looks like someone's smitten. Maybe Hana Piper will distract him?" Andrew said, taking Gracelyn's form from him and putting it at the high end of the makeshift chart. Ethan looked at Hana. She wasn't ugly, she just wasn't that pretty.

"Seven and a half." He said.

"Seven." Wesley chimed in. "Don't give her a half point." Andrew shrugged, and put Hana halfway between the sevens and eights.

"What about Juniella Alonzo, a Four who enjoys…well she wrote that she enjoys cleaning on her form." He displayed a picture of a girl with glasses and dark brown hair.

"Four?" Ethan glanced at Wesley. He nodded.

"Moving on, then. Katherine Evelynn Page?"

"Five." Wesley said.

"Seven." Ethan countered. Katherine wasn't an exotic beauty, in fact, she was a little plain. But still, Ethan liked her. He didn't know why, he just did.

"It's your Selection." Andrew shrugged, laying the form down. "How do you feel about Lilly Gaston?"

"Two…" Ethan said. It wasn't that Lilly was ugly, she just was a little boring and repetitive with her dark hair and small smile.

"One and a half." Wesley said. "How many girls are left, anyway?"

"About fifteen." Andrew said. "She'll cheer you up." He showed them a picture of a gorgeous girl with strawberry blonde hair. "Mackenzie Parker, the hottest woman alive. I give her a ten."

"Ten!" Wesley practically yelled. "Who's next?"

"I am." Ethan said, studying Mackenzie's eyes, lined in thick black makeup. She was very good looking, but she seemed almost cold. "Eight." He finally said.

"Eight?" Wesley sputtered. "She's drop dead gorgeous!"

"Yeah, well, make up does a lot." Ethan said. "I think she's an eight. I'd like to see her without makeup."

Before he could see anything else, a squeal interrupted them.

"No way! They're-they're _rating _them!" a feminine voice cried. "Andrew!" The boys turned to find Michelle, their sister, and Christine, Andrew's wife, behind them. Christine's usually sweet features indignant, and Michelle's hands on her hips.

"They're girls, Ethan. One of them is your future wife. Don't treat them like horses or something!" Michelle sputtered.

"We're not!" Ethan protested. "We're just… looking them over."

"What else to expect from dumb men like us?" Wesley gave a winning smile. Michelle rolled her eyes.

"You mean _boys_!" She said, annoyed.

"Do you want to help?" Wesley asked. Michelle raised her eyebrows.

"Are you kidding? I would love to."

"What?" Ethan jumped to his feet. "This was supposed to be a personal exercise. I don't need all of you telling me opinions I don't care about!"

"Too bad, brother." Andrew handed the remaining forms to Michelle, and went to Christine. "I'm sorry, my love." He murmured taking her hand and kissing it. "I only thought of you. Will you ever forgive me?"

"Only if you let me help!" Christine teased, standing on tiptoes to kiss his cheek. Andrew chuckled, and sat down at the foot of Ethan's bed. Christine grabbed the skirt of her light pink gown, and maneuvered herself onto his lap. "Who were you discussing?"

"Mackenzie. The girl on the news." Wesley said. "The _hot _girl on the news."

"Oh, please. That girl is as stuck up as they come." Michelle said.

"Have you met her?" Wesley challenged.

"As a matter of fact, yes." Michelle crossed her arms. "She's a brat."

"Still, a hot brat." Wesley shrugged his shoulders.

"What about this girl? Megan Stewart? A Six?" Michelle displayed the form. She was another blue-eyed blonde.

"Pretty, but common." Wesley said. "A five and a half." He shot a glance at Michelle. "I mean, it's almost five thirty."

"It's just now four." Michelle said.

"Oh. Oops."Wesley looked away, whistling innocently.

"What about this girl. Melissa Dove." Michelle said.

"The dancer?" Christine perked up. She had been a ballerina until marrying Andrew.

"Yeah, but she's a Seven, so I'm assuming it's for a nightclub or the burlesque."

"Oh, man. I like her already." Wesley said, before catching the looks everyone else gave him. "I mean, she must be really talented."

"Whatever. Ethan?"

"She's pretty. I won't know what she's like until I meet her." He felt a blush creep into his ears.

"Obviously." Michelle tossed the form onto the neat piles the boys had made earlier. "What about her, Michaela Williams. She's a baker."

"She's nice." Ethan mentally rated her as a seven, with her golden blonde curls and green eyes.

"Yeah, she's very nice." Wesley said, rather suggestively. "Who's next?"

"The twins." Michelle said. "Natalia and Nicole. It's so weird how they both got chosen."

"If it wasn't for Yukon, Nicole wouldn't have been." Andrew reminded them.

"Well I think it's adorable." Christine smiled wistfully. "My older sister was so jealous of me."

"Until they start fighting here." Ethan reminded them.

"I like girls fighting." Wesley said, grinning. "But they're both really attractive." Ethan nodded, taking in the girl's dark chestnut hair and hazely eyes. Nicole seemed distracted in the photo, almost surprised in a bad way, but Natalia was grinning cheerfully. "I like them." He rated them as eights.

"What about this girl. Aurora Clarisse Bande." Michelle showed them a picture.

"Another actress. It'll be like an awards show when she and Cordelia get here. And Adele. And Felicity." Ethan groaned

"But they're just Fives." Christine reminded him.

"Still, one word. Drama." Wesley said.

"Anytime you get girls together, there is drama." Michelle huffed a sigh. "Boys don't have it because they're idiots."

"Whatever. Who's next?"

"Ruby Larson. Another Five." Ruby had red hair, and green eyes. Ethan shook his head.

"Ehh." Wesley said. "One or two-I mean…how many more?" He quickly changed the subject.

"Okay, moving on. Saskia Buchannan." Michelle said.

"Next!" Wesley cried. "She looks evil!"

"Ethan?"

"I don't really like her." He admitted. She _did _look evil.

"How do you like Sirena Mastrano?" She held up a picture of a stunning red-head.

"She's beautiful" Ethan blurted out, before thinking. The others snickered. "Keep going." He was suddenly very much in need of some quality time with his horse.

"Summer Lee." Michelle displayed a girl with caramel hair.

"She's okay." Ethan gave her a four in his head. "Next."

"Tatiana Sarvex." Michelle showed him a photo of a girl with light red ringlets. Ethan nodded.

"I give her a five or six."

"She's actually a Three." Michelle said, not realizing his blunder.

"…Oh." Ethan said, and Wesley guffawed.

"Right." Michelle eyed them suspiciously "Last one. Taylor Hollister." Taylor was very attractive, with glowing skin, dimples, and dark curls and blue eyes. "She's a Seven."

"Still, very nice." Wesley said.

"Yeah, I like her." Ethan figured her as an eight. He stood up from his perch. "Wow that was a lot of girls. I'm going for a ride, if anyone needs me." He added sarcastically. "Don't touch my stuff." He yelled over his shoulder. "And get outta my room!"

As he walked to the stables, he suddenly realized just how difficult this was going to be.


	11. Looking Ahead and Leaving Behind

**So shorter mote frequent updates it is! This one's about 2500, so I'll try to make them 2000-3000 words, and frequent! I also have decided a secret plot twist! **

**This chapter highlights Nat and Nicole's send off, and introduces another character, Lissa. Just to clarify, **delovlies **does not listen to Disney music (baring Newsies) She enjoys a wide variety of show tunes, and when I started talking about the different casts, I felt like her, since I usually don't listen to show tunes. But yeah. She thought I meant something else! **

**Thanks to my reviewers- **mnbvcxz-xx, TheGirlWithTheRainbowTattoo, Demigod-Gallagher-Selected , Fairy not princess, zanzibaby, delovlies, theYAfangirl17. ** Love you guys!**

…

Nat ran the brush through her hair one final time, trying to get her dark chestnut curls to lay smooth. As usual, the frizz protested. She gritted her teeth-something she had started during the last few days-and dug through the bag of beauty products the palace people had given her. The last several days had been a whirlwind of activity. The whole inconceivable notion that when the girl representing Yukon was chosen, was related to one of the girls already chosen drove reporters and the public to their house in droves. Especially since they weren't just related. They weren't just cousins, or even sisters. They were identical twins.

They _had _gotten quite a kick out of switching places on the reporters and palace people, though. People swarmed by the droves to get them to sign papers about the validity of their forms, take their pictures, take their measurements for fancy-schamncy ball gowns, people to inform them that were now, in fact, Threes, and give them beauty products and vitamins, and go into every minute detail regarding the Selection. Not to mention the phone calls requesting interviews, and the reporters and photographers everywhere. With all that was going on, Nat barely had time to think about all of it. Never in her wildest dreams had she considered being selected. Never. Not once. Her leg muscles were sore from not riding, even on a daily basis. She hadn't seen Ben once, and he hadn't called. Nat didn't know if she should laugh or cry.

Of course, Nicole was terribly happy about the whole thing. Nat swore that even her skin was glowing. Maybe it was just the vitamins and the face washes and the makeup though. Speaking of which, Nat dug a bottle of hair product guaranteed to get rid of frizz, and misted her curls down, and brushed some more. Now her hair just looked greasy and unwashed and weighed down. She groaned, and tried the dry shampoo, which worked pretty well. She deemed her hair respectable, and put on just a touch of mascara and some powder. All the stress was great for breaking out.

Nat then took her Selection outfit off the hanger, and quickly took of the jeans and sweatshirt she had hastily donned this morning to go downstairs and eat breakfast. It would be the last time she would eat with her family for a while. Usually, she would just go downstairs in her pj's, but had been surprised by a reporter in all her bedtime glory twice already before learning her lesson. She put on the starched short sleeved button down blouse, and tucked it into the knee length black skirt. Not very practical for the rapidly approaching winter, but Angeles was supposed to be warm, so oh well. Still, Nat hiked a pair of knee socks on, and then put on her ankle high riding boots. She had wanted to wear her usual calf high ones, but that hadn't worked so well with the skirt. Nat slipped on the palace issued black cardigan over the sweater, and surveyed her and Nicole's room. Nicole had been ready almost half an hour ago, even though Nat had at least ten minutes before their driver came.

Nat hefted the small tan valise Mom had given her to pack her things. They had told her it wasn't necessary to bring clothes, but Nat had figured that a pair of jeans might come in handy, since the seamstresses who had come to take their measurements had shook their heads when Nat asked them about pants. She also had packed her standard riding boots, and her small wooden box. Nicole had long since stopped using hers, but Nat kept all her 'treasures' there. She kept all her jewelry and little mementos, as well as a stack of photos with a rubber band around them. She hadn't opened it, since it contained the bracelet Ben had given her. The one she had worn until receiving news of their breakup several days later. Nat hadn't thrown it away, since she had been harboring the hope for getting back together. Now she wasn't so sure _what _the future held.

With one last lance, Nat left the room, switching off the light as she left. Ben didn't want her, well, fine. She didn't need him anymore. Besides, she was a Three now! There was no way Ben, with his fragile male ego, would date her now. He'd had his chance, but he hadn't made the most of it. It certainly wasn't any of Nat's concern anymore. She entered the living room.

"Nat! We have five minutes! You're cutting it close!" Nicole said, jumping to her feet in her cream ballet flats. Nat shrugged.

"That's plenty of time." She said, setting her suitcase down as Nicole handed her the province flower, a small cluster of rhododendron blossoms, and Nat used a hair pin to pen it above her ear. Nicole sported a single rhododendron blossom and several tiny forget-me-nots, representing Yukon as well as Kent. They were throwing a little send off in the hometown for all the Selected today and Nat was not looking forward to it. She was already so exhausted from the preparations, and the Selection hadn't even begun. Besides, she didn't want to see Ben there.

A few minutes later, two cars showed up, on to take her and Nicole, and one to take the rest of their family. The twins climbed into the limo, stocked with drinks and snacks and the best car seats ever.

"Maybe this won't be so bad after all…" Nat said as she settled next to Nicole, spying the tray of treats next to the fully stocked fridge.

"Hurry up and make the most of it. It's like five minutes until we get there." Nicole reminded her, taking an expensive looking bottle of water from the fridge, and taking a drink.

"How's it taste?" Nat asked. '

"Like water. How'd you expect it to taste?" Nicole grinned.

"I don't know. Like…super water or something." Nat perused the tray of treats and settled on a generously sized brownie with a dusting of powdered sugar. She took a giant bite.

"Oh. my. gosh!" She half- shirked. "This is the best brownie ever!" Unfortunately, she didn't have much time to enjoy it, as they pulled up at the square, crowded with twice as many people that were usually there for parades and things.

"Before we do this," Nicole said as the car pulled to a stop and the driver got out to open the door for them. "I just want to say that I'm so glad we're doing it together."

"Me too!" Nat said, giving Nicole a one-armed hug. "Prince Ethan better watch out"

"Just don't be too mad when I win." Nicole teased as the door opened, and the sound of the citizens of Kent yelling their names filled their ears. The driver offered his hand, and helped the girls out, and two guards helped them navigate through the crowd to the raised platform. The mayor presented them to the crowd with more pomp and circumstance than Nat had ever experienced, and then launched into a flowery speech about how honored he was to have not one, but two girls from Kent in the Selection, and how he hoped Nicole would honor both Yukon and Kent. When he handed the microphone to Nat, she froze, until Nicole gave her a little shove forward, and she managed to smile and say something about how grateful she was to be chosen. Nicole had, as usual, be prepared, and said a nice speech she had written on two note cards, but Nat didn't remember half of what she said.

She suddenly had realized that this was the real deal, and that it was happening. To her. Natalia Rosalyn. And it totally didn't seem real.. Nicole handed the microphone back to the mayor, and he said some closing words. Before she realized it, their aides, Darcie and Marina, were telling them it was time to say goodbye. Lea started crying before Nat could even hug her.

"Bye, sweetie." She hugged the miserable eight year old. "Be good, okay?"

"I wanna go with you! I wanna be a princess!" Lea cried.

"You don't need the Selection to be a princess." Nat said, before Nicole swopped into to comfort the girl. She moved onto Eva.

"Take care of Lea, okay?" She hugged her sister. Eva nodded, and Nat suddenly regretted not spending much time with her two younger sisters as she did with Nicole and Jason. She hugged Eva again, for good measure. "You'll be eighteen in five years, when Prince Wesley has his Selection, so you might get chosen!" Nat whispered.

"Really?" Eva asked.

"Yeah, sure. You have two famous older sisters now!" Nat joked. Eva smiled, and then went to say goodbye to Nicole. Nat turned to Jason, and threw her arms around her brother. She had always been closer to him than to Eva and Lea.

"You'll be fine. I'm proud of you." Jason said softly. "If Prince Ethan is a jerk, call me and I'll beat him up for you two."

"You'll beat up a prince?" Nat said, blinking away the sudden onslaught of tears.

"Whatever it takes." Jason said. "Now don't get into too much trouble."

"I won't." Nat gave him another quick hug. "Check on the horses I ride, okay? Don't let them get too lonely. If I call while you're at work, will you let me talk to them? Just hold the phone-"

"I'm not letting you talk to horses on a phone!" Jason said, grinning. "Call them yourself, you're a Three now! Now say goodbye to Mom and Dad. You've got to get going!"

Nat turned to her parents. "Bye, Mom. Bye Dad." She hugged them in turn, and felt those stupid tears creep up again. She evidently had a lot of growing up to do. "Don't replace us." She said with a watery smile.

"We love you, no matter what happens." Mom bent for another hug.

"I never thought both my girls would be in the Selection." Dad said fondly, hugging Nicole. "I'm already proud, even if you get kicked out first." He kissed their heads, and then shoved them gently to the waiting car. "Love you two!" He called after them.

"Love you too!" Nat said, before following Nicole

"Bye!" Nicole waved excitedly at everyone. "Love you!" She called. They were almost to the car, when Ben ran out towards them.

"Nat-" He began. Before Nat could even collect her thoughts, Nicole stepped forward, and slapped Ben across his face.

"That was for breaking up with my sister without telling her, you jerk!" She yelled. Nicole climbed gracefully into the car, leaving Nat and Ben, stunned. Nat turned to get into the car.

"Nat, listen to me." Ben pleaded. "I shouldn't have broken up with you like that. I'm sorry."

"You have every right." Nat said, trying to get the words out before she dissolved into a bucket of tears. Wasn't she supposed to be the strong one, and not Nicole? "Please, just go."

"Wait, you don't have to do this." Ben grabbed her hand.

"You had your chance, Ben. Don't try to do this just to get famous. I forgive you, but I don't have any regrets." _Liar. _ "Thanks, though. You showed me a world I never knew existed. Racing, I mean." Before either of them could say or anything, or Nat could change her mind, she scrambled into the car and slammed the door.

"Thanks for that, Nicky." She said to Nicole, trying really, really hard not to cry.

…

Melissa Dove tried to ignore the stares of all the upper castes as she hurried to the car. They hated her. And why wouldn't they? She was Seven who didn't exactly deserve to be in the Selection. She was one step above a prostitute, for crying out loud! As a burlesque dancer, she was scum.

But that couldn't get her down. Not today! She was in the Selection! She had a chance to fall in love, to be a princess! Even if Prince Ethan hated her, she was still a Three. She could go to college, and pursue her dream of studying history now! No more prancing around on stage with more lipstick than clothes. It paid good, but it was torture.

The only thing left to do was to say goodbye. She turned to her mother.

"Bye, Mom." She gave her a quick hug. "Thanks. For everything." Her mother stepped back, tears filling her eyes, gray, like Lissa's.

"I can't believe this is happening." Lissa's mother managed, her voice choked. "I never thought my girl would have a future of any kind. I'm so sorry I couldn't have done more." She hugged Lissa again, squeezing her tightly. For a moment, Lissa felt afraid. She was only fifteen, almost sixteen, yet here she was, with a not even a three percent chance of winning the Selection and becoming the princess of Illea. Was she even old enough to get married? Lisssa tightened her grip on her mom. Her childhood had been quick, and she'd been forced to grow up fast/ As she ended the embrace, Lissa wished time would stop, and she could stay herself a while longer. She studied her mom, only fifteen years older than Lissa herself.

"Its fine, Mom." She said, blinking back tears. "You could have done a lot worse."She tried to joke, but was suddenly too overcome, and started to cry as she saw tears coursing down her mom's cheeks.

"When I was fifteen, I was due to be a mother, and now that child is off to the Selection." Her mother said. "I don't know whether to be happy or sad." She hugged Lissa again, and kissed her cheek. "Whatever it is, I love you, and I'm so very proud to call you my daughter."

"Thanks." Lissa managed.

"Now hurry and say goodbye to your brothers. You need to go." Mom said. Lissa nodded, wiping away traces of her cry, and smoothing down her dark blonde curls. She took Ian, her two year old baby brother from her aide, Ashleigh..

"Bye Ian." She whispered in the baby's ear. Even if they had different fathers, Lissa still loved her brother. "Don't forget me." She handed him o her mother and moved to Regan, who was seven, and still only her half brother. She hugged him tightly.

"Make sure to watch out for Mom." She told him. "I love you."

"Love you too." Regan mumbled shyly, before stepping back, and sniffling, though he tried to hide it. Lissa swallowed at the lump in her throat, and moved to twelve year old Adrian. This would be hard. She didn't know if they were fully fledged siblings, since her father had stuck around until she was two and a half, so there was a good possibility.

"Don't let anything happen to them." She sobbed as they hugged.

"I won't. And Lissa?" Adrian said. Lissa stepped back, remembering the time Adrian had saved her when one of the attendees of the nightclub and her mother's then boyfriend had tried to take advantage of her.

"Yes?" She said tearfully.

"Follow your heart." Adrian said, pressing a small object into her hand. Lissa looked down, seeing a thin silver ring with his words encrypted on it in tiny letters. _Follow your heart. _ Lissa started to cry again as she slipped it on.

"I will." She hugged everyone one more time and moved to the car, and got in. As it pulled away, she waved and blew kisses out the window. Then she faced forward.

A lot of bad things had happened to her, but that didn't mean good things wouldn't either.

…

**Okay, thoughts? Let me know in a review! I would love to know who your favorite characters are, including the royal family, though based on reviews, a lot of you like Wesley! **

**The next chapter will introduce Katherine and describe her plane ride, as well Nat and Nicole's! Thanks for reading!**

**-Shades**


	12. Tension

**Okay, so the first half of this chapter is inspired by a wonderful review **zanzibaby **left me, it's Nat and Nicole's plane ride, with (her characters) Gracie and Mackenzie as their cohorts! The second half introduces mainly Katherine, by **majestictales, **but also Tatiana (**WaffleManiac),** Bryn** (zeldafanatic0555) **and Rory (**RosemaryAlysse).

**Song credit: Kellie Pickler's "Red High Heels". **

**Thanks to these wonderful people: **4Love4Love4, delovlies, Fairy not princess, Demigod-Gallagher-Selected, mnbvcxz-xx, theYAfangirl17, majestictales, zanzibaby, **and **EruditeAbnegationMockinjay, **who gets this week's sporadic shout out for almost sharing Nat's name, except she's not a Natalia, but a Natalie! (Don't worry, she signed her name, I'm not a stalker) You know, all these people did was review, so if you want to be awesome and make the world a better place, and get reviews on your stuff (if I've read the archive!) So thanks again to all ya'll! **

…

Nicole hesitantly followed Nat onto the plane, pausing to wave goodbye to the aides and thank them.

"You're bags are already on the plane, Lady Nicole!" Marina called.

"Thanks for everything!" Nicole yelled back, before ducking slightly to enter the plane. As soon as she entered, she heard someone squealing.

"Oh my goodness! It's you guys! I can't believe it get to ride all the way there with you two! I'm so excited!" A petite blonde girl jumped up from her seat, her hair flying. Nicole paused for a second, before recognizing Gracelyn Luna, a Three from Atlin. Immediately, she hugged both of them. "This is so exciting!" She said happily. "I'm Graclyn, but everyone calls me Gracie."

"Hi!" Nicole said. "I'm Nicole Posalyn." She gestured at her sister. "This is Nat."

"Wait, how do I know you're not switching placing on me?" Gracie joked.

"Well, Nat has bigger eyes." Nicole explained. "I guess we'll have to do something at the makeover to change it up a little."

"I can't wait for that!" Gracie half-shrieked, "I'm only going to trim my hair a little, but it still sounds super fun! What are you guys going to do?" She was practically bursting with excitement.

"I haven't really thought about it." Nat admitted reluctantly. "But I know I'm getting rid of my curls." She said. Nicole stared at her sister. She hadn't realized that they would part ways in the Selection until now.

"Get rid of them?" She half-repeated. Nat nodded.

"We can't be the same two people here, Nicky."Nat said, jerking Nicole into reality. Of course they couldn't. Still, it would be hard.

"Did you guys flip out when you found out both of you were going?" Gracie said after a moment of quiet.

"Sort of." Nat said, sitting down on one of the several cream colored seats arranged in three rows of two on either side. She gave it a little spin, so she faced Nicole and Gracie. "I almost passed out when I was announced."

"Well, I did." Nicole launched into the story of how the neighbors had called to make sure they were okay after she screamed so much.

"Did you cry?" Gracie asked. "It was the first thing I did!"

"I did, but not Nat." Nicole said. "This is going to be so much fun!"

"I know! I cannot wait to get there!" Gracie said. She turned to Nat. "You don't seem as happy about it." She said. Nat shrugged.

"I don't know…I never expected this to happen to someone like me anyway."

"I know! It's incredible!" Gracie fingered the dogwood blossom in her light golden blonde hair. "It's like a dream."

Just then, a scoff of judgment interrupted them, and the three girls turned to find their final passenger. She was tall and lean, with straight strawberry blonde hair, and brown eyes, coated with dark gray eye shadow and jet black eyeliner.

"Wake up, then, sweetie." The girl said, not-so-sweetly. "It's about to get real."

Gracie, instead of taking offense, looked star struck.

"Oh my goodness! You're her! You're Mackenzie Parker! I watch you on the news all the time, and now I get to ride to the palace with you!" Gracie shrieked. Instead of being nice, Mackenzie rolled her eyes.

"And who are you?" She asked in a bored tone, flipping her hair over her shoulder and taking a step further into the plane. Behind her, two aides began loading matched luggage into the overhead compartments.

"Oh! Sorry! Gracelyn Luna, of Atlin, A Three. Everyone calls me Gracie, though."

"Nice to meet you." Mackenzie chirped boredly, as she took her cell phone from the massive designer purse she carried. Gracie didn't seem to notice that Mackenzie didn't care, and beamed.

"Well, I'm Natalia, but I usually just go by Nat." Nat told Mackenzie.

"How sweet. I get to ride with the twins." Mackenzie said, almost annoyed, and sauntered to a chair in the back, her eyes glued to the phone

"Nicole Rosalyn. Nice to meet you." Nicole said as Mackenzie brushed by her.

"Mmm." Mackenzie settled down in the seat without looking at Nicole, and picked up an in-flight magazine, barely flipping through it.

Nat, Nicole and Gracie exchanged a look between them, when Gracie suddenly seemed to remember something.

"Oh! I almost forgot!" She hurried to the chair she had been occupying and opened her suitcase, taking out a small box. "They're a little smashed, but they are good, if I do say so myself." She opened the box lid, revealing four decadent looking cupcakes topped with a thick chocolate frosting.

"Um, you officially rock." Nat said, taking the one with most frosting. "These look amazing."

"Yeah, they do, thank you!" Nicole said. Gracie blushed a little.

"Kenzie? Do you want one?" Gracie offered the box toward her.

"It's _Mac_kenzie." She snapped. "And no, I don't want to look bloated when I meet the Prince." She rolled her eyes. Gracie looked slightly hurt, but offered the last two to Nat and Nicole, who gladly took them. It was then when she caught sight of Nat's shoes.

"You're wearing riding boots!" She squealed. "Do you ride?" Before Nat could answer, Mackenzie hurled the magazine she was reading at Gracie, who screamed and ducked.

"Oh my god, do you _ever _shut up?" Mackenzie demanded. "How annoying do you have to be? Do you have to squeal every five seconds? God, you're immature."

Gracie immediately turned red and was silent.

"Um , excuse me?" Nat scoffed. "She didn't do anything wrong. Now let me tell you, something, you stuck up ice queen. The world doesn't revolve around you, and just because you're a rich and famous Two doesn't mean we have to bow down to you. You're not royalty!" She looked at the half-eaten cupcake in her hand, and then without thinking, lobbed it straight at Mackenzie. Who screamed. Loudly. And called Nat several names that made Gracie clap her hands over her ears.

"Oh no…" Nicole muttered as Mackenzie stood up, practically shaking with rage. "You guys, if you hit each other, you're out of here."

"She threw a cupcake at me!" Mackenzie cried, pointing to glob of frosting on her chest and the rest of it on the floor. Nicole had to stifle a laugh at the ludicrousness of the statement.

"You threw a magazine at me!" Nat countered, stepping closer. Nicole grabbed her sister's arm and yanked her backwards.

"Cool it, Nat." She said. "It's not worth messing this up for you."

"Messing what up?" Nat's voice rose to a yell. "I mess _everything _up!" She blinked rapidly, and ran towards the seat farthest away from Mackenzie, and spun it to face the front. Gracie took some napkins off the tray of drinks in the back by the restroom and cautiously offered them to Mackenzie, who snatched them away with a glare.

"Now I get to meet the Prince with a stan!" She shouted.

"I'm sure we don't meet him right away, though." Nicole said hesitantly.

"What do you know? You're just a stupid Four!" Mackenzie shot back. Nicole stepped backward, and set next to a miserable looking Gracie.

"It's my entire fault. If I hadn't of brought those cupcakes, none of this ever would have happened." Gracie said sadly.

"You didn't do anything wrong." Nicole said comfortingly. "Nat just loses her temper a lot." She sighed and stared out the window as the plane-finally-began to take off. Nicole already knew she and Mackenzie wouldn't be friends, but maybe she and Gracie could.

…

Katherine Page took a deep breath as she walked through the little hallway connecting the Calgary Airport to the airplane she would take to Angeles. _I can do this. _She told herself, clenching her fists. But her shaky legs and racing heart told her otherwise. The other girls were already on the plane, so she'd been told. Katherine had to stay in her limo several extra minutes to compose herself, and had caused a hold up. This was impossible.

"Lady Katherine?" Behind her, Katherine's aide, Marylyn, questioned her. "The plane is waiting."

"Yes, I'm sorry." Katherine managed; her voice was audible, but wavering. She clutched her right wrist, where the small gold bracelet was, the tiny bird in flight dangling just above a vein. _Annalise help me, _She knew her older sister hadn't balked and had a meltdown the last time she had gotten on a plane to start her freshman year in college. Katherine would have been starting her freshman year, too, if she hadn't been Selected nearly a week ago.

And Annalise still would have been alive if she hadn't of gotten on that plane. Before the rebels hijacked it to take hostages to try to get ransom money. Before something went wrong, and the plane crashed and no one survived. Not even Annalise, Katherine's best friend, who had only given her the charm bracelet that morning. Now, getting on a plane for the first time in nearly four years, Katherine was petrified.

"Lady Katherine?" Marylyn said again. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine…" Katherine said, taking another step forward. She couldn't meet the Prince if she couldn't get on the plane to get there. She picked up the pace, her heart hammering in her chest. Finally, she stepped in, seeing three other girls look up at her.

"It's about time!" One girl, a blonde, said, rolling her eyes. "What took so long?"

"Sorry-" Katherine began.

"Don't be. She's just spoiled." Another girl, with light red curls said, standing up to introduce herself. "I'm Tatiana Sarvex." She held out her hand. Katherine took a breath to steady her fears, and shook Tatiana'a hand.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Katherine. Katherine Page" She added. "I'm sorry it took so long."

"It's not a problem." Tatiana said warmly.

"Oh, are you sure?" Katherine said, feeling some of her tension dissolve.

"No way! Can we get going already?" The first girl, the blonde said, annoyed. She kicked a heel clad foot against the chair in front of her, and sighed dramatically.

"Calm down, Rory." Tatiana said. "Just because-"

"I don't want to hear it, you little brat." The blonde said. She got up from her seat and banged on the door separating them from the pilot's "We're ready to go!" She demeaned. "So, Katherine, since you're finally here, I guess I'll introduce myself. I'm Aurora Bande. Surely you've heard of me?"

"No…sorry." Katherine said, finding a seat near Tatiana and buckling her seat belt. Tightly.

"Oh. Well, I usually go by Rory, so…" She raised her eyebrow questioningly. Katherine shook her head as the final girl interrupted.

"She's an actress who was in those TV shows." The girl said, tossing her sandy blonde curls.

"Which ones?" Katherine asked.

"She's told me three times already, I'm sure it won't kill her to tell you. I'm Bryn, by the way. Well, actually Brynlee Harris, but everyone just calls me Bryn." She said.

Just then, a voice cut over the loudspeaker, telling the girls they would be leaving shortly, and to sit down during takeoff and stay buckled in. Rory flipped her bangs out of her blue-gray eyes and plopped into a seat.

"As if we care!" She said. "Anyway, now that we all know each other, I was in _Silent Song _and _Human Again._"

"I've never heard of those before." Katherine admitted. Rory snorted, and the airplane began moving faster. Katherine gripped the armrest tighter.

"Of course you haven't. You're a Four. What do you do for a living, anyway?" Rory snapped as the plane touched off and launched itself into the sky. Katherine gulped, but kept talking, to distract herself.

"I'm a baker." Katherine said. But it still didn't seem right. "Well, my parents are. I was supposed to take over the business after my…I'm supposed to take over the business." Katherine finished quickly. Annalise had always wanted to own the business. Now it was Katherine's job, even though she would much rather write music and play the piano. She looked at Bryn, remembering the girl was a Five.

"Bryn, what do you do?" She asked. Bryn blushed slightly, but began talking excitedly.

"I'm a Five, and I've played the piano for twelve years. Usually at parties and stuff, but I also accompany my mom when she sings, or for plays and stuff." She finished. Katherine noticed her eyes were sparkling, and that they both must share a passion for music. She would have loved to talk with her for the rest of the plane ride, but didn't want to be rude by not including the other girls. Still, she couldn't help but share her desires.

"I would love to be a Five. My mom always talks about expanding the business to a corporation or a franchise, so we won't be Fours anymore, but I can't stand it. I wish I could just write music for a living. I always dream up little melodies, and it annoys my mom to no end." Katherine found herself spilling the truth. She caught Tatiana looking at her funny.

"You _want _to be a Five? But you could be a Three?" The redhead said.

"I know, but…" Katherine trailed off, knowing it was useless. Only Annalise understood. Or at least had. She quickly turned to Tatiana. "You're a Three, right?" She asked.

"Yes. I tutor kids. I guess I don't really know what I want to do." Tatiana shrugged, and looked away. Katherine smiled at her, and glanced at Rory.

"So, Rory. You're an actress?" She asked politely.

"Yeah." Rory swiped at the bangs that always seemed to be in her face. "I used to model. Until my mom went psycho on me, and sent me to rehab."

"You went to rehab?" Tatiana asked eyes wide. Rory scoffed.

"I was overworked, and I fainted on the catwalk, and my mom concluded I was anorexic and she forbade me from modeling again. So I moved out and started working on television." Rory looked away, suddenly self-conscious. "I didn't want to live at home anyway."

"Why not?" Bryn asked softly.

"My parents are divorced. My dad's girlfriend is like five years older than me, and my mom works all the time."

"Oh." Bryn said as an awkward silence settled over the group. After a while, Tatiana and Bryn started talking about their reactions when they'd been picked, and Katherine took the opportunity to study Rory. The girl was pretty, obviously. With her straight platinum blonde hair and blue eyes, she looked like a Barbie Doll. She wasn't that mean either. Just spoiled, maybe. And used to getting what she wanted, but with home life issues. She seemed to protect herself with her words, and a whipped up ego. Katherine noticed, though, she was watching Bryn and Tatiana almost jealously. She fussed with her bangs again, and caught Katherine looking at her. Katherine offered a smile, before looking away. She was also very thin, and almost had a gaunt look to her.

The pilot announced they could now get up from their seats, so Katherine go t up and in a burst of spontaneous brain activity, found herself sitting next to Rory. She looked at Katherine in surprise.

"So, what was rehab like?" Katherine asked. Rory shrugged.

"Stupid." She muttered. "Excuse me." She got up quickly, and headed to the bathroom. Katherine sighed. Evidently Rory was not a talker. She gave up waiting for her to come out, and joined Tatiana and Bryn. Maybe Prince Ethan wouldn't be the most interesting part of the Selection.

…

**I'll try to update twice a week from now on, although I have two more days of freedom. I may be depressed, but I'm not at school yet. I'm proud of myself for updating everyday for three days in a row, but I literally had nothing else to do but some cleaning. I'm a slow writer- forgive me! **

**Also, keep the reviews coming! It really helps to see whose still reading! It doesn't have to be a paragraph, a sentence is great! Just tell me, who your favorite character is, or what you liked and hated, or even a mistake I made!**


	13. Gossip and Competition

**GUYS-Carrie Underwood is pregnant! I don't know why I'm so excited about that, but I guess that's America's celebrity culture for you, although usually I don't care! Anyway, I recently just finished my last first day of high school and being a senior sucks! I have to take Physics **_**and **_**Pre-calculus, so that will really cut into my writing time. Oh well, what are weekends for, right? **

**This chapter is inspired by an awesome writer, **theYAfangirl17, **who requested another plane ride chapter with her trio of gals-Taylor, Lissa, and Sirena, as well as Cordelia, so I'm postponing palace arrivals another chapter-sorry! **

**Song Credits: "Blown Away" By Carrie Underwood. **

**This wonderful bunch were wonderful and reviewed: **delovlies, zanzibaby, EruditeAbnegationMockinjay, 4Love4Love4, Demigod-Gallagher-Selected, mnbvcxz-xx, theYAfangirl17, Fairy not princess, TheGirlWithTheRainbowTattoo **and to **Zara (guest). **To **Zara **I just want to say (since I can't PM you) I know about all the things you had an issue with, and that they weren't necessarily allowed in the books (although I can't find the oldest son part) but this is fanfiction! Any thing can happen! There are no rules! Thanks for the review though! **

…

Taylor Hollister lifted her chin, glad for all her practice as a professional date. She entered the plane. _I'm not a Seven anymore. I'm a Three, but I have enough acting experience to make me look like a Two. _She mentally reassured herself. There was no one else there yet, though, so she let herself relax a little, and smoothed back a curl. Since she had been announced almost a week ago, things had been a whirlwind. She had suddenly become the 'most wanted' girl at the Intuition, everyone clamored to have her as their date. She had scarcely had time, though, with all the fittings and signings and people wanting to talk to her. All this had happened, before the Selection had even begun! Taylor sighed, and settled on one of the cream colored seats. Se felt her eyes close, and before she could stop herself, she was drifting off. It seemed like only a second before she heard someone else entering.

"Hello?" A tentative voice called out. Taylor immediately opened her eyes and stood up. A girl with dark blonde hair and a happy smile appeared. Her smile grew at the sight of Taylor.

"Hi!" She half-squealed. "I'm Lissa!" She took a few steps foreword and hugged Taylor. "You're so pretty!" She gushed. "I bet I'll be one of the first to go." Even as she said this, Lissa's smile never faltered.

"I think the prince will like you just fine, Lissa." Taylor said.

"Really?" She smiled bigger. "I've been in love with him for as long as I can remember! Just from TV and stuff." Lissa finished and then wrinkled her nose slightly. "I'm sorry; I can't remember your name."

"Oh! I'm so sorry." Taylor apologized quickly. "I'm Taylor Hollister."

"You're one of the Sevens?" Lissa's smile grew again, if that was possible. She was practically glowing now. "Me too!" She immediately hugged Taylor again.

"How did you know that?" Taylor asked as she felt a blush grow in her cheeks. She wasn't used to such touchy-feely people, and besides, this girl was her competition.

"I made sure to know who you guys were. Besides us, it's just Audra Jepson."

"Oh. So what do you do?" Taylor found herself wishing one of the other girls would enter.

"Well…I'm a gardener for some money, but it doesn't pay well, so I'm, well, a burlesque dancer." Lissa blushed furiously. Taylor tried not to look too shocked. This little slip of a girl? She couldn't be over sixteen, if she even was!

"Well, I'm a paid date. A professional escort." Taylor attempted to make Lissa feel more comfortable. Before Lissa could respond, however, another girl entered. Right away, Taylor knew who she was-Cordelia Whitney, the actress.

"Who are you?" Cordelia asked in a clipped tone.

"Oh, um, Taylor Hollister."

"Lissa Dove."

"What are your castes?" Cordelia practically demanded, rolling her eyes. She had a rounded, almost pudgy face, but she had a lovely smile, if she would use it.

"Um, we're both Sevens." Taylor began when Lissa didn't say anything. "I'm a-"

"Well, it was certainty a mistake to put me with the two of you!" Cordelia exploded. "Sevens!" She strolled into the plane. "Are you sure you're on the right plane?"

"I think it just has to do with provinces." Taylor said. "Sota and Tammins border-"

"Shut up, will you?" Cordelia snapped. The brunette stomped to a chair and plopped down. "Don't think you can talk to me like that, Seven."

"Sorry I'm late. We can take off now." A new voice interrupted. Taylor turned to see a tall girl enter the plane. She was tall, and had red hair. It was in limp curls, stiff with hairspray. The girls eyes were red and swollen, her heavy makeup smudged and smeared. She wore a fresh coat of bright red lipstick, but still looked a mess. She swayed uncertainly as she walked further into the plane. "I'm Sirena Mastrano."

"You're a model, aren't you?" Cordelia looked down her nose at Sirena, jealously eyeing her tall, thin figure. Sirena nodded.

"I play volleyball too, but no one watches that." She said, sitting down exhaustedly. Cordelia sniffed in reply, and turned her attention to the window.

Mercifully, the pilot came over the speakers, telling them to sit down and buckle up. After the takeoff, which Lissa giggled through the whole time like it was a roller coaster; a stewardess came through, offering drinks and snacks. Taylor could hardly believe her eyes, and glanced at Lissa, whose eyes mimicked the massive chocolate chip cookies offered.

"Is this all for us?" Lissa said, her voice awestruck.

"Of course it is. Are you that ignorant?" Cordelia said rudely. Lissa frowned, but turned back to the stewardess, asking for a glass of lemonade and a piece of chocolate cake.

"When you're ever done over there, I want a low-cal iced mocha." Cordelia huffed to the stewardess.

"I apologize, Lady Cordelia, but we don't have that. I can get you coffee or hot chocolate-" Before the stewardess could continue, Cordelia cut her off.

"Do you realize I have a very good chance of becoming the Queen of Illea?" She cried. "Is a simple iced mocha too much to ask? I'll speak to the king about this when we arrive!"

"I'm sorry, Lady Cordelia. Can I offer you-"

"No, forget it." Cordelia snapped, crossing her arms. The stewardess trembled slightly, and turned to Taylor.

"Would you like anything, Lady Taylor?" She asked in a shaky voice. Taylor shot a glare at Cordelia and then eyed the choices.

"I'll have a diet coke and some of those cookies. Do you have any ice cream?" Taylor asked. The stewardess visibly paled and shook her head. "That's fine." Taylor said quickly. She took the frosty glass of soda and took a drink. Delicious. The stewardess moved onto Sirena, who requested some alcoholic beverage, and three pieces of cheesecake. After the stewardess left, Cordelia turned to Sirena.

"Want to look bloated for the prince?" She asked innocently, gesturing to the cheesecake. Sirena narrowed her eyes.

"It won't stick." She said vaguely, taking a bite. Cordelia smiled sickeningly sweet.

"Sure it won't." She said. "What did you do last night? You look terrible. Loose your virginity?"

"I don't think that's any of your business." Sirena said through gritted teeth. "But for your information, no." She glared at her cheesecake and took a giant bite, effectively ending the conversation.

The rest of the plane ride passed without much talking. Lissa and Sirena exchanged a few words, but Cordelia kept a frosty silence, and Taylor kept to herself. When the plane landed, Sirena hurried to the bathroom as the other three prepared to exit the plane. A guard opened the door connecting the plane to the terminal.

"Lady Taylor, Lady Melissa, Lady Cordelia, and Lady Sirena?" He addressed them. "I'm here to escort you to the car taking you to the palace."

"Um, Sirena's not here. She's in the bathroom." Lissa volunteered, nervously fiddling with her skirt.

"Well then we'll wait for her. Let me warn you, there are quite a few fans between here and the car." The guard said.

"F-fans?" Lissa asked nervously. The man nodded.

"Also a camera crew filming your arrival. The people want to get to know you, and root for you." He said.

"Like some sort of game?" Taylor scoffed with a note of bitter sarcasm. She rolled her eyes, and ran her fingers through her curls. The Selection wasn't getting any better yet. _But once I get kicked out, I'll be a Three._ She reminded herself.

Sirena came out of the bathroom, looking somewhat better than before. She had washed her makeup, and had applied an overload of mascara and eyeliner. Still her face was pale, emphasizing the dark circles under her eyes and she was grimacing.

"You okay?" Lissa whispered to Sirena. The redhead nodded.

"Let's do this." She said, drawing her hand across her lips, and smoothing her hair. Taylor could plainly see Sirena _wasn't _okay. She remembered the three pieces of cake, and then the trip to the bathroom, and looked at Sirena again. She was definitely skinny, but she still looked healthy, just depressed.

Before Taylor could ponder it anymore, the guard whisked them into the connecting hallway. As they neared the building, Taylor could hear the sounds of what sounded like yelling. Then, another guard opened the door, ushering in the sound and sight of a mob of fans jumping around and cheering on both sides of the roped off pathway, guards scattered along the edge. Joining the guards were dozens of camera operators. Overwhelmed, Taylor stuck with a quick smile, and waved a little. Lissa was beaming sunshine beams, and bouncing on the toes of her worn out black flats. Cordelia had pasted a seemingly genuine smile, and was all but walking the red carpet, with one hand on her hip, emphasizing her generous curves. Sirena looked overwhelmed, and Taylor remembered she had been in the bathroom when the guard had informed them about the fans. She gave a tentative smile, and walked quickly to the other side, to the door leading to the outside and a black limousine. Lissa was signing autographs and talking to the citizens of Angeles, while Cordelia stayed near the cameras. Taylor greeted the people near to her, noticing that almost everyone held a sign, represeingitn all twenty five girls Cordelia was on quite a few, as was Sirena. She noticed lots of the signs in the back were for her, Audra, and Lissa, as well as the Sixes. Cordelia waved her goodbyes and continued to the car, and Taylor motioned to Lissa, and followed her. It was at least five more minutes before Lissa joined them in the limo. As they pulled away, and onto the main roads, even more fans lined the streets. Taylor suddenly got nervous. The Selection was going to be harder than she thought.

…

**Be sure to check out the wonderfully awesome and talented story by **zanzibaby, **called "Just Sky". It's an SYOC story too, so submit away! She's awesome and created Gracie and Mackenzie, who are amazingly thought out and described characters, so it's sure to be good! Next chapter will the palace!  
-Shades**


	14. Just Like You, Only Prettier

**IT'S FINALLY THE WEEKEND**! **Yes, time to write! : D**

**This chapter is at least one of the makeover chapters/introduction to the palace. It focuses primarily on Nat. It was supposed to include Nicole and some others, but Nat's ran on longer than I thought, so I'll just post this! **

******Make sure to read and submit to **zanzibaby**'s Selection SYOC story "Just Sky"! It's really cool!******

**Song/Title Credit: "Only Prettier"-Miranda Lambert**

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed, especially **AthenaofVersailles **who I forgot to ****thank last time, and for reviewing for **LostDaughterofGallifrey. **Also to** theYAfangirl17, 4Love4Love4, Fairy not princess , zanzibaby, EruditeAbnegationMockinjay , mnbvcxz-xx, Perksofbeingminho, **and **Demigod-Gallagher-Selected. **Thank you guys so much! Shoutout to **4Love4Love4 **and **NewKindofCinderella **for coming up with the signature scent thing in their own awesome Selection SYOC stories. Read them! **

…

If Nat thought that the week before had been hectic, it was nothing compared to the palace. As soon as she stepped out of the limo, a woman with straightened dark hair and a set of intimidating bangs rushed forward. After Nicole, Gracie, and Mackenzie were out, the flustered woman spoke.

"Welcome to the palace, Lady Natalia, Lady Nicole, Lady Gracelyn, and Lady Mackenzie. I'm Sophia, the manager of the Selection for Queen Francesca and King Jackson. If you'll follow me, I'll take you inside." She said.

By inside, she meant the palace. When the limo had driven up, they had gone through massive walls, higher than Nat could tell, stuck in the middle of the car. The massive circle driveway was at least the width of a basketball court with pristine emerald grass on both side, and a fountain and an assortment of roses stood in the center. Nat stood in awe, gazing up at the palace. It was…there wasn't even a good way to describe it. For one, it was massive. And beautiful. And very very palatial.

It was tree stories, the whole front façade and probably the back too was covered with large windows. The entrance in front of them was massive, eight light gray pillars heralding the whole thing, with three along the side. The entrance was fringed with six steps that went around the entire thing. The whole thing was some kind of marble or stone or even stucco, and a clean light silvery gray color. The entrance was in the middle, with equally long parameters in either direction, although without the pillard façade. Further down, on each side, was a rounded bump out of sorts, sort of like a closed turret. The windows on the ground floor were huge, providing a view of the carefully maintained front drive and lawn. Black clad figures were on the roof, and Nat assumed they were snipers, to protect the royals. Off to one side of the palace, there was a large brick building, and a cluster of other ones around it, probably where the servants lived. Before she had time to take the rest of it in, Sophia was ushering them into the massive front doors, into an expansive cool marble foyer. Nat suddenly realized how warm it had been outside, much warmer then the chilly autumn air back in Kent.

"Come with me, ladies!" Sophia chirred, steering them further into the foyer, her four inch stilettos clacking shrilly. A long hallway, at least half the width of the palace, dominated the space. At the far end, there was a set of glass doors, giving Nat a glimpse of the gardens, but she only got a peek. An impressive staircase was centered in the large, hallway, but a smaller one branched off on one side. Sophia pointed to a closed set of doors, almost as large as the front doors.

"That's the Great Room, for parties and balls. You won't be spending time in there immediately." She pointed a open set of doors across the way, but didn't stop for a look. "That's the dining room, where you'll take your meals." She pointed to the red-carpeted stairs. "Up there, on the second floor, are the guest rooms. You'll be shown to your rooms later. The third floor is the private quarters of the royal family. You are not to go up there unless invited." She pointed to the hallway. "That is the west wing of the palace, where the king and princes and advisors work. It is also off-limits." She gestured to a smaller staircase going down right before the hallway. "That's where the Report is filmed. You'll see it later too." Sophia finally stopped at a room about as large as a gym. "This is the Woman's Room. Usually, the Queen and the princesses are here, but not at the moment. You'll be spending a lot of time here." She finally stopped to inhale, and Gracie seized the opportunity.

"Is there a Man's Room, too?" She asked. Sophia sighed and rubbed her fingers against her temples.

"No, Lady Gracelyn."

"Oh, everyone calls me Gracie."

"You'll be getting your makeovers now, but we need 'before' pictures." Sophia proclaimed, not responding to Gracie's preference. They entered the room, and Sophia led them around a maze of people rushing about with armfuls of gowns and shoes and makeup and stuff. The scent of hairspray was almost overpowering. At the far end of the room, tiny little vanities had been sat up, where the other Selected sat, getting their hair, makeup, and nails done. In the middle, there were some temporary dressing rooms, and racks of clothes. Toward the front were a collection of backdrops with chairs below, and a camera crew, although they were all scattered about the room. There were some couches right by the door, but they were unoccupied. Nat glanced sideways at Nicole, and saw she looked completely overwhelmed. As Gracie sat in front of the backdrop and smiled for the camera, a camera man came by; zooming in on Nat's riding boots, Nicole's ballet flats, and Mackenzie's pumps.

Once Gracie's picture was taken, she was led away, as was Mackenzie. Nat went next, and smiled as the bulb flashed several times.

"Someone take Lady Natalia to station ten!" Sophia shouted. A tall blonde woman approached Nat.

"Hi, Lady Natalia. I'm Daphne." She said, holding out her hand for Nat to shake. "I'm your head maid, and in charge of your makeover."

"Cool." Nat said, not knowing what else to say as she followed Daphne. "Um, I usually go by Nat, though." She added, sitting down at the offered chair.

"Can I call you Lady Nat?" another girl said, coming forward with a caddy overflowing with hair and makeup products.

"Yeah, that's fine." Nat nodded, biting her lip.

"Bonnie, that's rude." Daphne said sternly. "Lady Natalia-Nat, I apologize. This is Bonnie, and Velma. We're your maids." She gestured to two girls in turn. Bonnie had dark brown waves, and Velma sported a white-blonde bob. "Now, we need to talk about what you want done for your makeover." Daphne sat sideways on the vanity.

"Well, I would like to get my hair straightened…" Nat said lamely. She wasn't used to all…this.

"No, your image. Who are you, or who do you want to be?" Daphne explained. Nat though. She was Nat Roselyn. A Four from Kent who worked on a farm. A jockey who broke the rules, and had a talent for lying. Who did she want to be?

"Well…I'm not super girly." She began. "And I ride horses…" She trailed off.

"So, a beautiful tomboy?" Daphne prodded.

"One who breaks the rules, and doesn't do what she's supposed to." Nat finished, not elaborating. Daphne smiled.

"Got it. I know just what to do. One more thing. We need to make you stand out from your sister, though nothing like this has ever happened. Are you open to dying your hair?"

"No way. Leave it like it is." Nat said. Daphne nodded, and held up her hand. Several more women approached, and the makeover began. Nat was scrubbed, lotionened, manicured and pedicured in less than twenty minutes. While the blue nail polish dried, a camera crew came by. Nat consented to layers and Daphne draped a large cape over Nat, and spun her chair around. She washed Nat's hair in the sink on the vanity, and conditioned it, before toweling it off somewhat and rubbing a leave in cream in. She trimmed Nat's hair a few inches, and created layers on the bottom half. She then got out a styling brush, and used it to tame Nat's curls. Once her hair was dry, Velma came over and spritzed it with something and got out a straightening iron. Nat watched excitedly as her curls disappeared, leaving in place straight voluminous tresses. Once that was done, they left it loose, and Daphne called Bonnie over. They waxed her eyebrows-just as the camera came by again, unfortunately, and covered her face with cleanser. Then, they applied a lightweight powder over her face and neck, to even the skin tone. Bonnie penciled on eyeliner, and swept on dark brown eye shadow, with a little blue at the crease, and Velma swiped on some light pink lipstick.

"Do you like it?" Velma asked as they spun her around to see herself. Nat couldn't contain her excitement.

"I love it!" She looked, well, beautiful. The makeup wasn't too heavy or too natural, and her hair looked stellar. Bonnie grinned.

"Well, Velma and I will get you dressed up now!" She said.

"One more thing, first." Daphne said. "You need to pick your signature scent." She held out a collection of glass perfume bottles. Nat perused through the labels, and settled on peppermint. It was a good clean smell, one that reminded her of home and Christmas. Her three maids took her over to the clothing area.

"Sit here." Daphne instructed. "We'll be back with your outfit!" And they scurried off. Nat sat on the empty couch, and spotted Nicole still getting her hair fixed. Nat waved, but Nicole's attention was occupied elsewhere.

"Hello." Someone said in a soft voice, sitting down next to her. Nat turned, and say a girl with beautiful long light blonde hair and turquoise blue eyes next to her. Her hair was so light it was almost white. It was held back out of her face with a tiny French braid on either side.

"Hi." Nat noticed she still wore her black skirt and white blouse too. "I'm Natalia, but call me Nat."

"I'm Cora Abel." The blonde said. "You're one of the twins, right?" Cora asked.

"Guilty." Nat grinned. Cora smiled shyly. "You're a Three right?"

"Yes. I'm training to be a vet." Cora's smile grew, and her eyes suddenly lit up.

"I just work on a farm, exercising horses, but…" Nat glanced around to make sure no one was listening. She suddenly felt like revealing her secret. "I'm also a jockey. Unprofessionally and illegally, but still."

"Really?" Cora asked. " I love riding."

"Do you have horses?" Nat asked. Cora shook her head.

"No, but I used to take lessons. I don't really have time anymore, with work and all."

"Are you in college?"

"Part time. I'm a sophomore, but I work at a practice as an assistant. I treat a lot of animals." Cora said.

"That's really cool. What's the weirdest thing you've ever treated?" Nat asked. Even though Cora was quiet, she liked her already.

"I treated a tiger once for a family of Twos. It was pretty cool." Cora admitted. "They're such beautiful creatures." She smiled a winsome smile. "I ended up dating their son, but it ended badly when I was Selected. She shifted gaze to her folded hands.

"I know what you mean." Nat said, although the reminder of Ben stung, she tried to push him out of her thoughts. "My boyfriend broke up with me when he caught me at the Service Office. He didn't bother to tell me for a few days, though." She sighed heavily.

"Ouch." Cora said. Nat nodded.

"The stupid thing is, I didn't even want this. My sister Nicole wanted me to go with her, and I thought, you know, why not? I didn't know all this-" She spread out her arms, gesturing to the commotion of all the other girls. "-would happen." She swallowed hard. Cora took her hand and squeezed it.

"We can't control what happens to us. We just have to make the most of it." Cora said. Nat smiled at her new found friend, but Cora's maid's returned with her outfit-a long sleeved knee length lace dress in dark red, with a thin little black belt, and black wedges. She waved goodbye to Nat and followed her maid into one of the dressing rooms.

As she waited for her own maids, Nat took stock of the girls in the room, trying to match the face with the name. However, only twenty four had arrived yet, and most of them looked different now. She caught sight of Rory Bande, the actress. She had seen many of the blonde's movies, and recognized her easily. The skinny girl was in a figure hugging tight hot pink dress that hugged her body, and posing for her 'after' picture. She was already a Two, so a makeover probably had been easy for her. Nat also recognized Alexina Lee, the only New Asian girl, too. Before she could recognize anyone else, Bonnie returned with a dress draped over on arm, and Velma followed with a pair of shoes.

"This is the perfect day dress for you, Lady Nat!" Bonnie said, holding out a navy blue dress. "Put it on!" She motioned to a small dressing area, and handed her the dress. "I'll help you!"

A few minutes later, Bonnie was zipping up the back. She had also gotten Nat a new bra and slip.

"Do you like it?" She asked for the second time. Nat broke into a grin.

"Of course!" She swayed from side to side, the organza brushing her legs. The dress was a navy blue organza a-line, with a bateau neckline and a natural waist. A tiny black flower detail completed the look. She and Bonnie left the room, back out to the sofas. Nat spotted Cora getting her 'after' picture taken. Velma handed her a pair of shoes, just as Daphne returned with several pieces of jewelry.

"Here are your shoes." Velma said, extending pair strappy silver open-toed heels. Nat gulped.

"Heels? Can I wear flats? I think I might trip…"

"It's easier than it looks." Daphne said, coming forward and handing Nat a pearl bracelet. Nat slipped on the bracelet, and sat down on the sofa to put the heels on. As she did so, Velma attached a pearl choker necklace around her neck. Nat stood up, and took a tentative step. It was wobbly, but she would survive.

"So, am I done?" She looked up at her maids.

"Are you satisfied?" Daphne asked her. Nat looked at herself in the mirror, and liked what she saw.

"I love it."

"Good. Now get your picture taken, and we'll see you in your room later." Bonnie said, pinning a small silver pin with Nat's name on it to the front of her dress. Her maids left, and Nat got her 'after' picture taken. She tried to find Nicole, but she was still getting her hair done. Nat was directed to a different set of backdrops, and smiled for the camera. Sophia came up then; looking even more flustered, and told her to go wait on a couch in the corner by the front and wait. Nat didn't ask what she had to wait for, and instead teetered on her heels over to the large circular couch. Another girl was there too, fiddling with the hem of her dress. Nat sat down next to her with a smile. The girl looked up, and noticed her bright red lipstick, and tried to remember her name.

"Hi." The girl said. "You're Nicole, right?"

"Close." Nat said. She was used to being mistaken for her twin. "Natalia. But I go by Nat."

"Oh, sorry. You two look so much alike." The girl said.

"It's fine." Nat said with a grin. "I'm used to it."

"I'm sure. I get mistaken for my sister too, and she's twelve. I'm Adele Warren." She held out her hand, and Nat saw she had bright red nail polish to match her lipstick. She was very vintage, with her short curled dark blonde bob and side-swept bangs. Nat shook Adele's hand. "You're a Five, right?"

"Yes. I'm an actress. Live theatre."

"Like musicals and things?"

"Yes. I'm usually in the ensemble, though. I'm not a professional or anything." Adele peered past Nat, not giving her full attention. She seemed a little cold. Maybe she was just shy.

"I like your dress." Nat fished for conversation. It was pretty, though. The fitted peach colored dress hit her knees, and had a high neckline and short sleeves. It was paired perfectly with a pair of white T-strap pumps. It was vintage, like the rest of her.

"Thank you." Adele said. She didn't elaborate. Just then, another girl hurried towards them.

"Adele!" She cried. "I love your hair!" This girl had wavy auburn hair and blue eyes and was tall and skinny. Adele's face broke into a happy smile, and she jumped up and embraced the other girl. She wore a light blue-green chiffon tea length dress, and cream colored wedges.

"I love yours!" Adele said, hugging the girl again.

"I just got it trimmed and curled. I like it the way it is." She turned, and noticed Nat. "Hi!" She said brightly. "I'm Felicity Weaver. Adele and I act in the same company."

"Really? That's cool. I'm Nat."

"Oh, you're one of the twins! I guess you can relate to us, then!"

"Yeah, it's nice to already have a friend." Nat agreed. "Adele, did you have your hair cut?" Nat asked. The blonde shook her head.

"No, I just got light highlights, and they curled it." She turned back to Felicity.

"Have you seen Cordelia Whitney? I can't believe she's here!"

"I know! Now you can tell her you cut your hair because of her." Felicity said.

"Cordelia Whitney is a jerk." Someone new said. Nat, Adele, and Felicity turned to see a tall girl with perfect red curls, and a face full of makeup. "I rode with her on the plane, and she threatened to fire the stewardess because they didn't have the right low fat macchiato or something."

"Oh." Adele's face fell. "I still like her movies."

"Yeah, me too." The red-head said. "I'm Sirena."

"Wait, _you're _Sirena? Sirena Mastrano?" Felicity asked. "The model?"

"Yeah, well, I'm also a volleyball player, but no one ever knows about that." Sirena joked. Nat took a liking to this girl. "Does anyone know what we're waiting for?" Sirena wore a black and white dress, it was unconventional, but she pulled it off. The top was black lace, and the skirt was fluffy white tulle. She wore heeled peep-toe booties covered in sequins.

"Sophia said something about a tour of the palace." Adele said. The other three began talking about their makeovers, and Nat zoned out. She couldn't see Nicole anymore, thanks to the arrival of the next four girls. She caught sight of Gracie coming out of a dressing room in a lavender tea-length dress and bumping into Mackenzie, who wore a bright turquoise tight dress covered in sequins. Mackenzie began yelling, and Gracie stepped back, seeming to apologize. Nat smiled to herself, and smoothed her hands over her dress.

This was going to be fun.

…

**Well, what did you think? Let me know in a review!**

**If you have link, could you please leave them up for a while? My laptop still isn't fixed, and I don't want to save them onto this one…**

**Next chapter(maybe chapters!) is Nicole's makeover and a request by **4Love4Love4 **who requested a 'makeover special' for her character Amber, as well as Micheala and Tatiana. I'm also going to throw in Amelia and Erin to the mix, and maybe a few others! Thanks, everyone!**

**-Shades**


	15. Stand Back, or Stand Out?

**Have you ever spent a really long time trying to figure something out when it was really easy all along? What abut when there are two answers in the back of the book, but one is in degrees and minutes, and the other is in degrees and decimals, but you thought that meant there was two answers, and you couldn't get the other one? Yeah. Pre-calculus sucks. There goes two freaking hours of my life I'll never get back. **

**Song Credit: "Want To"-Sugarland **

Zanzibaby, theYAfangirl17, delovlies, AthenaofVersailles, majestictales, mnbvcxz-xx, fairy not princess, 4Love4Love4, Demigod-Gallagher-Selected **and **EruditeAbnegationMockinjay** are literally the best people ever. Thanks for reviewing, guys!**

**You know what? I'm just going to do a lot of makeover chapters. I know, I know, you want to get to the good part, but there are just so many awesome characters, I just want to write them all! So yeah! This chapter focuses mainly on Nicole, Elvira, Amelia and Meagan (her intro). I decided that if one of the main characters was in the plane ride, she doesn't get a POV for a makeover, just because that would take like six chapters. Next chapter (sorry!) will be Amber, Tatiana, and Michaela. **

…

Before Nicole quite knew what was going on, she had arrived at the palace, been given a rushed tour, ad her picture taken and was currently perched at one of the many vanity tables, and had met her maids, Ashley, Karen, and Shiloh. Every inch of exposed skin had been cleaned and covered with lotions and products.

"Now it's time for the fun part." Ashley told her. "Your hair. We want you to create your own identity, different from every girl here, including your sister. Who do you want to be when you show yourself to Illea?" Ashley finished. "I can go talk to Lady Natalia's maids to see what she's doing if that helps?"

"That would be great." Nicole said, studying her reflection in the mirror. She had been exactly like Nat for so long, she wondered if her identity had gotten mixed up. Who was she? A girl who had never been in love, who worked constantly on becoming a ballerina, even though she was a Four and it was basically impossible? She hadn't been chosen for herself, no, she had been chosen to represent Yukon. Nicole realized she would have to show the prince and Illea that she was so much more than that.

Ashley returned just after her self-discovery, telling her that Nat had gone fairly natural, and had straightened her hair. That was the biggest change.

"I know what I want to be." She told her maids. "I don't just want to be 'one of the twins' or the girl they chose to represent Yukon. I want to be different, and I want to stick out. I want to fall in love, but I also want to live my dream." She didn't tell them more than that. Karen wrinkled her brow.

"So some kind of princess-ly girly girl meets girl-you-won't-forget-and-you'll-be-sorry-if-you-do?" She said.

"Exactly. How did you know?" Nicole asked.

"It's our job." Shiloh added. "So any particulars?"

"Keep the curls, but I want bangs. And dye. I want to go a few shades darker, and get lighter highlights. Makeup can be dramatic."

"Well, let's get started, then!" Karen squealed. She draped a cape over Nicole, and spun her around to wash her hair. Twenty minutes later, Nicole's hair was washed, conditioned, sprayed with all sorts of hydrating stuff, and trimmed. While Karen worked on the bangs and the dye, Ashley and Shiloh worked on her nails. Hot pink on her finger nails, and gold on her toes. That took another twenty minutes. Finally, Karen finished rolling her hair up in foil things.

"Okay, the color has to set, but we'll do your makeup in the meantime. Ready?" She beamed excitedly. Nicole nodded.

"Let's do it!" She couldn't wait to see herself. Karen spun her around in the chair so she couldn't see herself in the mirror, and the girls set to work. They applied a lightweight liquid foundation, and set it with powder. They dusted blush on her cheeks. Next, Ashley used liquid black eyeliner for a dramatic look. Shiloh applied a thick coat of mascara, and a light silvery eye shadow, just for some glitter. Ashley finished of the look with a dark red lipstick. Then Karen finished Nicole's hair. She un-wrapped the foil, and covered it with a spray, before combing it out and blow-drying it. She used the curling iron to bring a little more definition to Nicole's new 'do, and brushed her bangs to one side.

When they were finished, Nicole could hardly believe what she looked like. For once, she didn't look Nat. She looked like herself. The once dark chestnut colored curls had been transformed to a much darker shade bordering on brunette, but the golden brown streaks kept it lighter. She never knew how beautiful you could look with so much makeup on.

"I-I.." Suddenly at a loss for words, Nicole could only stutter.

"You hate it?" Shiloh's face fell.

"No! No, I love it! I'm speechless." Nicole said quickly. Ashley, Karen and Shiloh beamed.

"Then, I guess it's time for you to pick your signature scent!" Shiloh said excitedly. She held out a tray sporting glass bottles with colored liquid inside. Nicole read a few of the, thinking of what she wanted. _Cinnamon, chocolate chip cookies ,coconut, cotton candy. _She smelled the cookie one but it didn't really smell like much, so she put it back. She finally made it to the T's. _Tea Rose, Tibetan Spice, Tiger Lily, Tropical Passion Fruit. _Nicole picked up Tea Rose and smelled it. It was like a rose but with a smell that reminded her of being at home on rainy days. It wasn't just rose, either. It had a little something extra.

"This one." She said. Her maids covered her with an ample spray.

"Are you ready to get dressed, then?" Ashley asked.

"Yes!" Nicole cheered, grinning. "I can't wait!" Her maids took her to the dressing area, and scurried off to find shoes, a dress, and accessories. Nicole looked around, looking for someone to talk to. She noticed a girl with layered shoulder length blonde hair and blue eyes sitting on a nearby couch, who waved at Nicole, beckoning her over.

"I'm so bored." The blonde said. "My maids put me in this dress ten minutes ago, and have been looking for accessories ever since."

"Well, I like your dress." Nicole said. The girl had on a coral pink knee length dress with straps, and a ruched waist. It was simple, but pretty.

"Thanks. I'm Autumn, by the way. Autumn Hunter."

"It's nice to meet you." Nicole said. "I'm Nicole Roslyn."

"Oh, one of the twins? I didn't recognize you." Autumn said.

"Well then my makeover idea worked." Nicole said with a smile. "I love your hair cut."

"I just got it done…you're a Four, right?"

"Yes."

"I'm a Six. I used to be a Two, though." Autumn said bluntly. She didn't beat around the bush. She seemed almost needing to tell Nicole that.

"Really? What happened?" Nicole asked.

"After my mom died, my dad, well… I ran away. I work as a maid now, but I needed the money, so I entered. And lo and behold, I got in!" Autumn said. She ran her fingers through her hair. Nicole glanced down, and noticed Autumn was barefoot. Also, her left big toe sported a blister. A shock of recognition shot through Nicole. It was weird, though, to get excited over a blister. But Nicole had sported many of those over the years.

"What are you looking at?" Autumn asked.

"Oh, um, you have a blister on your toe." Nicole said, realizing how dumb that sounded.

"Yeah. It's from my pointe shoes. I was a dancer before I ran away. I still practice, but I'll never be able to be professional."

Nicole felt herself breaking into a smile. This girl had just echoed her thoughts exactly. In a random moment of sporadic thought, she pulled off one of the flats she had worn at home, revealing a matching blister of her own.

"I'm a dancer too!" Nicole could barely contain her excitement.

"Are you serious?" Autumn smiled, revealing dimples. "You're joking! I thought everyone here would be stuck up snotty pampered Twos. But you're a Four. And you dance."

"You're a Six." Nicole elbowed her gently. Before the girls could say anything else, Shiloh returned with a dress for Nicole. Nicole looked at Autumn.

"Find me later. I can't wait to talk to you again." She beamed at her new found friend. Autumn nodded excitedly, and Nicole followed Shiloh to a dressing room.

She slipped into the dress. It definitely wasn't something she would have worn before, but this was about being the new her. It was strapless, and more revealing than Nicole was comfortable with. The bodice was bubble-gum pink, with a sweetheart neckline. A beaded sash led to a black tulle skirt.

"Well?" Shiloh asked.

"I think it's perfect." Nicole said. Ashley brought her a pair of tall black stilettos, and Nicole slipped them on. Karen handed her pair of large dangly earrings, and a matching necklace. Both had an art-deco feel to them. Nicole liked them at once.

As she studied herself in the mirror, she only had one thought. _Prince Ethan, here I come. Watch out. _

…

Elvira frowned at her reflection in the mirror. She was at the palace. Great. She furrowed her brow, and glanced back at her maids. They had their attention focused on the girl in the station next to Elvira, who was currently red-faced, orange-haired, and screaming fit to make the dead.

"My _hair! _What have you done to my hair!" She screamed.

Elvira stifled a laugh. She recognized this pre-Madonna as Mackenzie Parker, the girl on the news, every night. The only noticeable difference was instead of having nice summery strawberry blonde hair, it was more of a burnt orange. Her maids were quick to apologize, but Mackenzie would not be consoled. Elvira cleared her throat, and her maids shifted their attention back to their own charge.

"Sorry, Lady Elvira." One of them, she was pretty sure her name was Gina, said. "We'll get started, if your ready." Gina said. Elvira nodded. The maid's makeover ideas sounded a little scary. Although Elvira had requested an edgy stand-out image, Sophia, who was supposedly in charge of all this-had already instructed Gina to give her extensions. After being announced, Elvira had been instructed to return home, much to the satisfaction of her father. She had also been instructed to stop exercising, to make her muscles look more feminine.

As Gina and the other maids, Carolina and Alberta, began washing her short existing hair and adding the extensions, Elvira zoned out thinking about the day. The send off had been boring. Her dad kept saying how proud he was of her, and even Mom had called. Gerda had texted her with a scathing message about how awful she was, but no word from Alabaster, her brother. The plane ride had been significantly more interesting. She had spent most of the time talking to Erin Rusk, a cadet at the Illean Military Academy. Like Elvira, Erin had been instructed to stop exercising. Elvira wondered if she was getting extensions too. All the other girls here had longer hair than pixie cuts, except them. Erin had seemed bored and lackadaisical about the whole thing. The other passengers, Lilly Gaston, a brunette, and Ruby Larson, a red-head, had said little. She only knew they were both Fives. Elvira heaved a boerd sigh and settled in for her beautifying.

The extensions took forever. Elvira was bored out of her mind. Erin, Lilly, and Ruby had finished their makeovers fifteen minutes ago and had left with Juniella Alonzo, Autumn Hunter, and Nicole Rosalyn for a tour of the palace. Elvira sighed boredly, and watched as four new girls walked by her to their stations. She had been trying to memorize their names, and she recognized Dorianne Davenport, Summer Lee, Alana Harowski, and Elly Olsen.

"Did you hear about the Sevens they let in?" Elvira strained her ears, listening to her maid's gossiping. She thought it was Carolina, but couldn't be sure.

"I heard Audra Jepson works at a nightclub! Imagine letting her in-a slut!" Gina responded.

"And Taylor Hollister-she's a professional escort." Carolina whispered.

"What does that mean?" Alberta piped up.

"Professional prostitute, no doubt." Carolina told her. "And that Lissa Dove is a burlesque dancer."

"Which one is she?" Gina asked.

"That one." Elvira could imagine Carolina was pointing. She scanned the rows, remembering these maids were only Sixes. She located Lissa, who looked nothing like a burlesque dancer. She was trying on a poufy pink tea length dress, and all but jumping up and down in delight. Elvira smirked.

"Are the extensions done?" She asked, starling her maids out of their gossip.

"Almost, miss." Gina said. "It takes a long time."

Elvira sighed. She would rather be _anywhere _but here. It was all so dumb! She glanced over at Mackenzie, who was examining her hair in the mirror.

"It's not what I wanted, but I guess that's all you capable of." She snapped to her maids. "I'm requesting new ones to Sophia-who don't mess up your hair dye!" She got up, and stormed off, her somewhat strawberry blonde hair again flying behind her. The three girls looked pretty relieved and Elvira couldn't blame them. She crossed and uncrossed her ankles, and studied her toe nail polish. Her leather boots sat unused her chair, so the polish could dry-Alberta had done it while the other two worked on her extensions. The polish, like on her hands, was black. She wasn't the most natural person when it came to things like this-thanks to her mom living in Spain most of her life.

"Miss, we're done." Gina's reminder startled her out of her thoughts. "We're moving onto your makeup."

"Finally." Elvira moaned in mock distress. "Make it dark and intimidating."

"Yes, Lady Elvira." Gina curtsied, not questioning her choices. Soon, they were covering her eyelids with black liquid eyeliner and a black eye shadow, sweeping in silver. Carolina brushed on a lot of mascara, and Alberta finished with a coat of deep dark red lipstick.

"We're done." Gina repeated, and spun Elvira's chair around so she could see herself.

Elvira hadn't expected this. She had expected herself with longer hair, and little extra makeup. Not this, though. Her dark hair lay just past her shoulders, in loose gentle curls. They had left her pixie cut somewhat intact, only now she had bangs, given volume with a curling iron. Her light blue eyes were nearly swallowed by the dark makeup but, it only emphasized them. It certainly wasn't a Barbie Doll look, but to Elvira, it was perfect.

"I love it!" She surprised herself by practically squealing.

"You do?" Alberta asked. Elvira nodded vigorously. Her maids broke into a shared grin.

"Oh, I'm so glad!" Gina clapped her hands together. Carolina smirked.

"You look so much better than that Sirena Mastrano." Carolina muttered. Elvira didn't ask what that meant, but she assumed Carolina had a personal vendetta against one of Sirena's maids. Gina offered her a large wooden box, with a collection of perfume bottles, to choose her signature scent. Elvira chose one called "Dark Pine". It held the scent of pine needles, but also a deep, woodsy tone. It was mysterious and intriguing.

Her maids doused her wrists in it, and took her to a couch by the temporary dressing rooms and parted ways to find her ensemble.

Several minutes later, Elvira was a whole lot more excited about then the Selection than earlier. She had on a black avant garde dress, made of some cool velvety fabric. It was fitted closely, and had a high neckline and short, tight sleeves. The bottom of mid thigh length skirt flared out slightly, in a somewhat geometrical design. She had a tall pair of black platform heels, pushing her 5'7 frame to 6'0. A pair of silver earrings that looked almost like needles hung from her ears, and she wore a thin silver chain around her neck.

Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.

…

Amelia took a deep breath as Sophia showed her to her makeover station. _It is inevitable. _She told herself. _I'll have to face Erin eventually. _Three women came forward, and curtsied. They introduced themselves as Carly, Chloe and Louise, but Amelia had never been good with matching faces and names. She recognized many of the girls sitting in the chairs from the life-changing Report, but the only name she was able to put with a name was Katherine Page. Her legs felt like lead as she followed her maids to the far side of the room. They directed her to a chair, and she sat down with a sigh of relief. She hadn't seen Erin. Maybe she wasn't here yet.

"Lady Amelia?" Carly-at least Amelia thought-interrupted her thinking.

"Sorry." Amelia said automatically.

"We need to discuss your image."

"My image? Like who I want to be seen as? I want to be simple, yet elegant." She said the words automatically. She had thought about it the whole plane ride. Erica Carter and Alexina Lee had been giggling together the whole ride, and Hana Piper had mostly kept to herself.

"Any specifics?" Chloe-Amelia thought-said.

"Light makeup, and keep my hair the way it is color and length wise. You can trim it, and add some side bangs." Amelia said. Her maids spun her around so she couldn't see the mirror, and set to work. Amelia let herself relax, feeling some tension dissolve as they washed her hair. There was something very relaxing about it. After it was washed, trimmed, and blow dried into loose waves, and the bangs were cut and shaped, they set to work on her makeup. It wasn't much, just a little powder, eyeliner, and lip gloss. Amelia preferred it that way. She chose Peach for her signature scent. It was simple, but sweet, and elegant. Her maids did most of this without comment, before showing her where to wait so they could find her an outfit. A few moments later, she was outfitted in a pastel pink high-low hem dress, with a delicate beading on the bodice. She wore a pair of silver sandals with a slight wedge heel. She had on a large silver bracelet, on each wrist, and tiny matching earrings. Amelia smiled at her reflection. She actually looked good. Really good.

"Cute dress, Lia." She heard someone say behind her. That practical, cut to the chase lilt was painfully familiar. Amelia glanced behind her in the mirror's reflection. Erin Rusk was there, still in the black and white of the uniform except she had decided to wear pants.

"Erin." Amelia twitched her lips into a barely-there smile for a show of politeness. "Hi. It's good to see you again." She practically had to force out the words. Erin frowned.

"You don't seem so excited." Erin said, matter-of-factly.

"Considering the last time I saw you, you were making out with my boyfriend, no, I'm not." Amelia balled up her fists, trying to quell her temper. Erin smirked.

"Oh, yeah. You aren't still mad about that, are you? What was his name? Andre?"

"Alex." Amelia spoke through gritted teeth.

"Right. Well, don't worry about this guy. I can't wait to get out of here and go back to IMA-Illean Military Academy."

"Good luck to you, then." Amelia said, wishing someone-anyone!-would interrupt them.

"Good luck to you. You're going to need it." Erin said, with another annoying smirk. "See, I want to have fun, but I also want to get to the Elite. It'll be my ticket to fame. They'll have to give me credit for that."

"Erin, you don't belong here. You'll hate it." Amelia said vehemently. There was no doubt her ex best friend was beautiful-glowing cocoa colored skin, dark eyes, long lashes, and even her newly shorn hair complemented her look.

"Oh, really?" Erin said sarcastically. "Why not?"

"Because….because…" Amelia sputtered, at a loss for words. "Because you have no loyalty. We were friends for years, and you pulled a stunt like that? The prince will kick you out as soon as he says one word to you!" Amelia tried not to shout as she ranted, but her pitch got higher and higher. As she finished her tirade, Erin smirked-again, and gestured with a tip of her chin to the left. Amelia slammed her eyes shut, trying to erase the last few seconds. When she looked, she saw a camera, collecting every bit of the action. The camera panned in on everyone new least favorite girl-Amelia, and then took it's time leaving. Amelia released a pent up, shuddering breath. Erin spoke, almost startling her.

"You know, Lia? You never really appreciated me as a friend. I was always second to you, to your writing, to your boyfriend. Was it because I was a Six? Well, since IMA, I'm a Two, and your just a Three. And I'm going to beat you in this Selection taking away what you want most, and you're going to watch." Erin narrowed her eyes in a evil smile, before sauntering off.

Amelia blinked at the sudden onrush of tears. She wanted to run to her room and throw herself down for a good cry but she didn't have a room yet. So, as calmly as she could, she lifted her chin, and walked to where the other girls who had finished their makeover were waiting for a palace tour. She wouldn't let this get her.

…

Meagan Stewart blinked as the bulb popped, and the flash of light signaled her 'before' picture was finished. Things were about to change. Who would have thought that she little ol' Meggie a Six from Panama, would be here? In the palace, about to get a makeover? She had been a Five, then an Eight, after the car crash that had killed her parents. Four years ago, she had been adopted by a family of Sixes, and now, she was returning the favor, and giving them all the money for being here. But she wasn't complaining.

"Lady Meagan is ready!" Sophia yelled in a frazzled tone. She turned to Meagan. "Go to station four. You're maids are waiting." She said. Meagan nodded, and walked down the aisle of vanity tables, with girls sitting and their maids bubbling around them. She stopped at a station with a piece of paper proclaiming "4" taped on the back. Three girls, all around twenty, immediately curtsied to her.

"It is a pleasure to serve you, Lady Megan." The brunette of the bunch said. "I am Adrienne, your head maid."

"And I'm Charlotte." A blonde said.

"Indigo." A tall, raven haired girl said.

"Um, I'm Meagan. It's nice to meet you."

"The pleasure is ours, miss." Adrienne said. "Do you know what you want for your makeover?"

"Um…not really. Layers would be nice…" Meagan bit her lip nervously. Did she want to change? She absently ran her fingers through her thick blonde hair. This _was _her only chance. "And maybe some darker highlights. Just a few though."

"Do you have any ideas on your image?" Charlotte asked. Megan pondered that for a moment. _Megan Stewart, exactly 5'0, blonde hair blue eyes, former Five and Eight, now Six. A seamstress. Is that all? Noah always tells me I never look like a suspect, even if it's my fault…_

"Well, my brother always tells me I have a great 'I didn't do anything look' and a sharp tongue. I want to be that…if that makes sense."

"So we'll play you up as a gal with a temper, but only slightly?" Charlotte inquired.

"Yes. I want to blend in, but I want to stand out, just a little. Just enough to stay in the back of his mind for now. Then win with a sneak attack." Megan said firmly. Adrienne nodded.

"Got it. Ready to get started?" She asked. Megan nodded, and sat at the chair, facing away from the mirrored vanity, and towards the makeshift aisle. She leaned back, resting her head in the sink, so her maids could wash her hair. While Adrienne did that, Indigo and Charlotte scrubbed her exposed skin, and did her nails in coral. As that dried, Adrienne cut her hair into layers, and added subtle highlights. While the dye set, the maids got out the makeup, and set to work. After Charlotte blended in her foundation, Indigo set to work on her eyes. She did a light brown outline around her eyes, and swept on light brown eye shadow, and mascara. Indigo finished with a swipe of peach lip-gloss.

"Do you like it?" She asked.

"It needs a little something extra…" Megan determined. Indigo smiled, and dug through the makeup caddy before showing Megan a tube of candy pink lipstick. Megan grinned.

"It's perfect." She said. Indigo applied it. It made her stand out, but just a little.

When the highlights had set, Adrienne took it out, and blow dried it, and heated it into soft, gentle curls. Next, Indigo braided a small portion of it into a braid crown, leaving several pieces to frame her face. It was gorgeous, and just unique enough. Charlotte told her to chose a signature scent, and Megan chose the bubblegum one. It was something to be remembered, but it wouldn't stand out. Her maids sprayed a cloud of it around her, and Megan smiled.

"It's terrific!" She said. Her maids slapped their hands together in high-fives, and took her to change. They dressed her in a simple, dark pink a-line dress, but made her stand out with a pair of red peep-toe heels, and a silver necklace, with a tiny set amethyst at the base of her throat.

"Well?" Indigo pressed.

"What do you think?" Said Charlotte.

"I love it." Megan grinned slyly. The others wouldn't know what hit them, when she made her entrance!

…

**Just a little over 4000 words, and it's time for another update, so I won't add anything else. I'm going to try to update bi-weekly, usually on Wednesday/Thursday and Saturday/Sunday. I might not get the next update until Monday, though. I already have a lot of weekend homework (and it's not even Friday yet) and I'm taking senior pictures with my class on Sunday-all twelve of us! I'm sorry, since I promised this would be with Amber Tatiana, and Micheala, but that will be next, as well as the first dinner, either in Nat or Nicole's POV, and after that will be the first elimination. Sorry this takes forever, but I'm trying to fit everyone in, since it is an SYOC, after all. **

**I also get to sit next to crush in choir, so yay!**

**Make sure to check out "Equestrian Selection/Just Sky" by **zanzibaby **and "Selecting a Wild Heart" by **theyafangirl17. **They are both so awesome! They created Gracie and Mackenzie, and Sirena, Taylor, and Lissa, respectively, so repay the favor! **

**Don't forget to review, and hate math!**

**-Shades**


	16. Image

Zanzibaby, RosemaryAlysse, Guest (Alexina), fairy not princess, 4Love4Love4, Demigod-Gallagher-Selected, theYAfangirl17, TheGirlWithTheRainbowTattoo, mnbvcxz-xx**, and** delovlies **are literally the best people EVS! Thank ya'll so much for your reviews! **

**Shout out to the one and only **zanzibaby **for being a freshman, but being in her school's play, even if she does have to be a man, her character is best friends with her crushes character! Check out her Selection SYOC story, "Equestrian Selection" since she just intro-ed my character, Miranda, and also her story on FictionPress (As Winter Sky Grace)! **

**If you want to read something else your favorite person ever (me) wrote, check this out! You're supposed to be able to post FF and FP links, but here goes nothing: s/3164527/1/The-Hunt**

…

Amber Autumns tossed her hair back, and combed through her thick red-brown curls. She smiled happily at the camera. Today was the beginning of her new life, and nothing could get her down.

"Next!" The camera operator said. Amber stood up, smiling at Alexina Lee as she moved to take Amber's spot. Amber followed Sophia's directions to station three, and approached one of the many makeover stations. Three girls in maid's uniforms with black pumps scurried forward.

"Lady Amber, it is an honor to serve you." One of them, a short girl with chestnut brown hair said, sinking in a deep curtsey. "I'm Kathryn. I'm your head maid."

"An honor, miss." the slim brunette followed Kathryn, and curtsied as well. "I'm Vivian."

"Truly honored." The last one, a blonde, murmured, also curtsying. "I am Alania."

"Oh…" Amber fumbled for the right words. "It's a pleasure to work with you!" She said brightly.

"Lady Amber, we are tasked first with giving you a makeover, and then serving as your personal ladies' maids."

"A makeover?" Amber probably had interrupted Kathryn, but she didn't care. "Cool. We need to talk about my image." She said. Kathryn smiled.

"Do you have any ideas?"

"Yes, definitely." Amber was glad for her experience as a fashion designer, and for some reason, she was glad about her and John's breakup. It had helped her define herself. "I want to look cute and playful, but also elegant. Do you understand?"

"Leave it to us!" Vivian said. "You have such beautiful hair, I think we should leave it mostly untouched. Maybe add some extra curls for now, but we can play with it later on."

"Sounds good. I want bangs, though."

"Okay. I can do that." Vivian said.

"While she does that." Alania stepped in. "I'll do your nails. How do you feel about this pink?" She showed Amber a swatch.

"Ew, no. I want blue on my fingernails, and silver on my toes." Amber said automatically. Those were her signature colors, and she knew it. Alania nodded.

"That sounds great!" She said emphatically.

Less than a minute later, Vivian was washing her hair, after spinning her so she was back to the mirror. Alania worked on her fingernails, painting them a sparkly bright royal blue, while Kathryn did her toenails in a glittering silver. The three of them finished about the same time. Vivian blow dried her hair, and added thick, loose curls with a curling iron. She then swept some of it back and twisted it into a miniature bun, securing it with some pins.

"I'll put it up for dinner." Vivian assured her. "Ready for makeup?"

"Of course!" Amber said, grinning as she bounced excitedly in her chair. Her maids smiled at her antics, and got to work. Kathryn swept a liquid foundation on a sponge over her face, and covered that with a light dusting of power and blush. Alania did a light brown eyeliner, and swept on a little light blue eye shadow and a heavy coat of mascara to turn her tan eyelashes black. Vivian finished the look with a light pink lipstick.

"Can I peek?" Amber asked. She was no stranger to makeup, but she wanted to see what her maids had done.

"Yup!" Alania said excitedly, spinning the chair around. Amber squealed excitedly.

"I LOVE it!" She cried, clapping her hands together. "You guys rock!"

"We're not done, though! You have to get a day dress!" Alania said, matching Amber's excitement.

"First, though, you have to pick your signature scent." Kathryn said, coming up with a wooden tray of sorts, containing tons of little class bottles. Amber already knew what she wanted, but they didn't have it.

"Can I pick two?" She asked, holding up "Caramel" and "Buttercream Icing". Kathryn shrugged.

"I don't see why not. Another girl can pick either one of those, though."

"That's fine. I want it to be Caramel Buttercream." Amber affirmed. Her maids covered her in a cloud of perfume, and took her to get dressed. They left her sitting on a couch, and scurried off to find her the perfect outfit.

Amber turned to the girl next to her. Like her, she was a red-head, only her hair was lighter, almost strawberry blonder, and was in tight curls to her shoulders, whereas Amber's was only loosely curled, and long. She was still wearing her black and white, like Amber.

"Hi!" Amber said, starting the conversation. "I'm Amber."

"I know!" The girl said. "I love your collection. I'm Tatiana."

"Really? You have the clothes I designed?" Amber asked incredulously.

"Well, no, but I wish I could." Tatiana said. "But I love it! I have two of your dresses, and your jewelry set."

"That's so cool!" Amber said, grinning. "Are you a fan of my mother, Julia Autumns? She's a singer. That's how most people hear of me."

"No, my sisters told me about it. Together, we all have several pieces of your collection. We're big fans." Tatiana said, her blue eyes sparkling. Amber felt her cheeks grow warm.

"Well, I'm a big fan of your hair. It's so pretty!" Amber told Tatiana.

"Thank you!" Tatiana exclaimed. She fingered the large gold clip that held it away from her eyes. "It's usually straight, but I thought this looked cool."

"What image are you going for?" Amber asked.

"I should have known someone as talented as you would ask a question like that!" Tatiana joked. "I don't really know. Sort of funny and cheeky, but I was open minded to anything."

"I think your makeup looks great. Your hair, too, obviously. I can't wait to see what your maids pick out."

"You probably could have done a better job!" Tatiana said teasingly.

"Aw, thanks!" Amber said. "So, are you excited about all this?" Tatiana's smile faltered a little. She shrugged, sending her curls bobbing.

"I don't know. It's fun, but, well, I don't know. Are you?"

"I guess. I signed up after my boyfriend broke up with me." Amber admitted. Just talking about John brought back a pang. It still hurt.

"Why did he break up with you?" Tatiana asked, leaning closer, eager for gossip. Amber looked away, suddenly embarrassed.

"Well, I'm not very popular at home." She said.

"You? I find that hard to believe." Tatiana said reassuringly.

"Well it's true. He wanted to date in secret, but after a while, he just got bored. I guess he didn't love me after all…" Amber couldn't decide whether to be mad or sad. "I guess I want to find love. And maybe it's the prince."

"You and every other girl here." Tatiana said. "Except me. I don't know yet."

"Well, it's worth a shot. Besides, it's so much fun!" Amber steered the conversation back to a happier topic.

"I know!" Tatiana agreed. "Speaking of which, I see my maids coming."

The two said their goodbyes, and Tatiana left. A few minutes later, Vivian arrived with a bright royal blue dress on a hanger.

"Do you like it?" Vivian asked. Amber beamed. The dress had spaghetti straps, and flared out, a little on the short side.

"It's so cute!" She proclaimed. The dress almost looked like a romper. Kathryn arrived with a delicate silver necklace twisted into a heart, with a matching bracelet, and dangly silver earrings, with a small sapphire ring. Alania handed her a pair of silver platform heels, with a glittery black bow on the ankle strap. Ambo squealed, and hurried off the change. She couldn't wait to meet the prince!

…

Michaela Williams followed her maids, taking a deep breath. This would either be really awesome or really, well, not awesome. Cynthia, Clara and Maddy-her maids- walked around her in a giggling gaggle. They could hardly contain their excitement. Michaela, however, could. It wasn't that she wasn't happy to be here, no, she was. She just wasn't _that _happy. She didn't know what to feel.

Her maids offered her a chair, giggling. Michaela offered a weak smile, and sat down.

"Lady Michaela, are you ready for your makeover?" Cynthia asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be, I guess." Michaela mustered some enthusiasm.

"Great! What do you want to portray, as your image, I mean." Cynthia smiled-again.

"My image?" Michaela floundered for something that sounded intelligent. "Um, I don't know…" She offered a shrug of her shoulders.

"Well, do you want to be who you are now? Or someone else?" Maddy suggested.

"Myself, I guess."

"Who are you, then?" Clara said.

"Who am I?" Michaela thought awkwardly, trying to think of a decent response._ Michaela Williams…Four….baker. _Her thoughts stopped there. Her maids looked at her expectantly. _June says I'm sarcastic. But I'm also basically her mom. She also says I act way too grown up. Do I always want to be the adult? Well, why did I sign up in the first place? To help June. I still want to, but this is my chance to change. _

"I've changed my mind." Michaela said, surprised by the boldness in her voice. "I don't want to be who I am now. I want to be young and irresponsible, and easy going and fun loving, but not trashy. Can you make me look like that?"

"Of course! That's our job." Cynthia reassured her.

"Okay. Do whatever you want, just nothing too crazy." Michaela swallowed, trying to quell her nervousness. Her maids started giggling again, and spun her chair around so she couldn't see what they were doing. She squeezed her eyes shut, and leaned back in the chair. This was either going be to be a disaster, or terrific.

Nearly half an hour later, Michaela could hardly believe her eyes. Her boring straight blonde locks had been taken from their darker honey color to a light gold color, and had heated into beach-y waves. It had been cut in dramatic layers, including a long set of bangs that framed her face. A few steaks of a color that was barely pink, and mostly tan, highlighted her hair in various places. And that was just her hair. A bright pink nail polish had been applied to her nails. Her eyes had outlined with dark eye liner, making them pop. A coat of mascara had helped with that. Her favorite part with the glittery light pink eye shadow that made her eyes sparkle even more. Of course, foundation had covered up her breakouts, and powder helped it look flawless. A coat of shimmery scarlet lipstick pulled the whole look together.

"If you can do all this to my face, what can you do with my clothes?" Michaela cried. "I love it!"

"Before we do that, you have to pick your signature scent!" Cynthia told her, gesturing to the tray of samples Clara held. Michaela browsed the selection, trying to find the perfect scent. She thought back to her decision to sign up. She and June had been at the beach. That had been the last normal day. After that, in the days leading up to the Report, the bakery had been so busy, there hadn't been time for much else. After she had been announced, it had been chaos. Not only had she been suddenly famous, and had to meet with representatives from the palace, but had been busy trying to settle the bakery into the hands of June and their employee, Kellie. Nothing had been normal since that day at the ocean. Michaela thought back to her image. She had said she had wanted to be irresponsible, and immature, and fun. She looked at the bottles she had already pulled out. Bubblegum, Wildflower, Lemonade... no. She found Ocean Breeze, but it smelled too waxy. She went back to the B's, and found Seaside. _Perfect! _

"This one." She said, opening it and inhaling the faintly salty smell that reminded her of sun and surf. After her perfume application, she followed her maids towards the center of the room, where the changing area was.

"We'll be right back!" Cynthia told her before she, Clara, and Maddy left. Michaela watched them go, and then turned around to find a seat. Sereval girls were clustered on the only couch, whispering together. She recognized Ruby, Summer, Alexina, and Alana. She didn't join them, as they seemed to be gossiping about her.

Thankfully, her maids returned quickly, and pulled her into a dressing room. Michaela took off her black and white uniform, and her flip flops, and put on the new bra and slip. Clara entered after that, carrying a light colored dress, somewhere between light coral and dark peach. It had little off the shoulder sleeves, and was fitted at the waist before flaring out and then fitting again at her mid-thigh. It was simple, and probably something the older Michaela would have liked too.

Still, she couldn't help but like it. She put it on, as well as the four inch heels in black, which crisscrossed over her foot in a zig-zag pattern before fastening around her ankle. Maddy brought her gold hoop earrings, and a gold chain necklace. It worked perfectly with the color of the dress. Michaela put them on, the cool metal making her shiver. She couldn't believe how much fun she was having! She thanked her maids, hesitant to leave the dressing room in the new outfit. She loved how she looked, but was still a little shy about the other girls seeing her. But she couldn't stay in there forever, so she took a deep breath, and followed the maids out to get her 'after' picture taken. After that, she stood up, running her hands over her skirt. _What now? _Luckily, Sophia rushed by her, dressed in black stilettos, and an ivory cocktail dress with a black sweater.

"Great, you're done." She said hurriedly, seeming very distracted with all the hustle and bustle of the makeovers. "Go wait over there, and once one more girl is done, we'll go on a tour of the palace and take you to your rooms." She pointed to a sofa by the door, and hurried off. Michaela followed Sophia's gesture. She spotted a girl with light red curls, in a sunny yellow dress with a tulle skirt sitting on a couch, missing. Next to her was a girl with sandy blonde curls, and a girl with straight honey blonde hair. The redhead motioned her over with a smile, and a flick of her hand. Michaela approached the group.

"We were just noticing how great your hair looks. You're Michaela, right?" The redhead said.

"Yes." Michaela said. "And thanks."

"I'm Tatiana." The red head said. "My maids went off to find me different shoes and jewelry."

"I'm Bryn." The girl with blonde curls said.

"And I'm Gracie." The last girl said. "Isn't this great?" She beamed.

"I know!" Bryn exclaimed, turning to Gracie. "I fell, well, like a princess!" Her curls were caught up with hairspray and a pin, to keep them out of her face, but every time she moved the slightest, they wiggled. They were really pretty, almost like a tangle of vines. Bryn wore a black fit and flare dress with straps and a light blue belt. The skirt was also overlaid in tulle, and she had a pair of two inch heels on.

"I can't wait to meet Prince Ethan!" Gracie said, her blue eyes sparkling. Her light honey colored hair fell in loose curls down her back, and she wore poufy lavender tea length dress. She turned to Michaela. "I love your outfit!"

"Thank you." Michaela said shyly. She didn't really know what else to say. Just then, Sophia clicked towards them, leading a brunette. She wore a light red lipstick, and cream pink dress, with long sleeves, and a lace top. It was very girly and princess-like.

"Ladies, this is Katherine Page. We'll be leaving for a quick palace tour, and take you to your rooms. Lady Katherine, this is Lady Tatiana, Lady Bryn, Lady Gracelyn, and Lady Michaela." She ushered them back out to the massive foyer/hallway, and Katherine fell into step next to Michaela. She didn't say anything, but the two girls kept a companiable silence. Maybe they could be friends.


	17. New Life

**Brownies and chocolate to these wonderful folks for reviewing! **Fairy not princess, Guest and Guest, Demigod-Gallagher-Selected, mnbvcxz-xx, theYAfangirl, 4Love4Love4, crayonsonamap **and **zanzibaby**!**

**Brownies (but no chocolate since they didn't review : ) For **Jurassicjess **for following**, jakenizzyfan1 **for favoriting, and **Everafterhigh587 **for following, favoriting this and me! Thanks so much!**

**Song Credit: I must confess I have begun listening to Christmas music, and Halloween is still a month out….**

…

Nat and Cora walked down the hall at the end of their group, side by side. They had completed their tour of the main floor, and had just gotten the second to begin dropping the girls off at their rooms. Nat was more than ready to get to her room and relax for a few hours before getting changed for dinner. Although it was kind of fun to get all dressed up and cute, Nat wasn't really looking forward to changing two or three times a day. Still, she had had fun with Cora. The blonde didn't seem very talkative at first, but as the tour had progressed, she had begun to open up more and more. Sirena hadn't said much, walking in between Nat and Cora and Felicity and Adele. Cora had told Nat all about her experiences as a vet, and it had been fascinating, especially the stories about treating horses. It made Nat miss her just-launching career even more, but she tried to push Ben from her mind.

"Lady Felicity, here's your room. Your maids are waiting. Dinner is promptly at seven. You won't meet the royal family until tomorrow, so don't worry. Still, please wear the appropriate garments. Your maids will know more." Sophia said, motioning Felicity to her room. Felicity gave Adele a quick squeeze, and waved briefly to the other three before slipping into her room. Sirena's room was several doors down, followed by Adele's. The hallway was seemingly endless, a stoic guard occasionally posted. Door after door spanned out in front of them, occasionally broken by a small sitting area pocketed by a cluster of windows.

"Lady Cora, you're room is here." Sophia interrupted Nat's thoughts. "Lady Natalia, here is yours." Sophia pointed to the room across the way. Cora and Nat grinned at each other.

"Where is Nicole's room?" Nat asked.

"It's down at the other end. It was assigned randomly." Sophia said, tucking a strand of dark hair back into her prim bun. "You're things are already in your rooms. If the décor is unsuitable, just tell your maids." She told them the other things she had told Adele and Felicity, and left them in the hallway.

"I'll see you at dinner!" Nat said. "But I'm dying to see my room!"

"Me too." Cora said, her cheeks creasing into cute dimples. "See ya!" She waved, and turned towards her door. Nat did likewise, and turned her knob, and pushed open the door. She could hardly believe her eyes. The room was huge, first of all. Besides the small foyer that sported a single armchair and a small table opened with a doorway on the left into the bedroom. It was shaped more rectangle than square, the a large, canopied bed on one long wall, and beside table on either side with a lamp that was probably worth more than her whole apartment back home. The opposite long wall was lined completely with storybook windows on the top half, the glass sparkling in the late afternoon sun. Nat left the foyer, and stepped further into the bedroom, her heels clicking loudly on the polished marble floors. A plush cream rug kept the area under the bed warm, as well as the sitting area on the far wall, a shorter one. It was complete with a spotless cream colored sofa, and two matching armchairs, and an ivory coffee table. A vase of light pink and cream roses sat on the coffee table, as well as the expansive desk facing the windows. The prominent color in the room was either cream, or a very pale pink. Nat squeezed her eyes shut, and then opened them. Yup, the room was still here. Maybe change some of the pink for a light turquoise, and it would be perfect.

"Lady Natalia? Is the room to your liking?" Someone said behind her. Nat turned, to see her maids, Bonnie, Velma, and Daphne behind her.

"Oh my gosh, yes! It's like nothing I've ever seen before."

"Would you like to change anything?" Daphne asked.

"Um, I guess so. Maybe everything that's this light pink color make a light turquoise." Nat said, picking up one of the extraneous throw pillows, just one of many on the bed.

"Have you seen the bathroom and closet?" Bonnie's grin rivaled Nat's own.

"Show me!" Nat cried. Bonnie swung her arm to yet another small transition room on the shorter side of the room. On the left, it opened to a massive closet, complete with gold filigreed wallpapering, and a black marble floor. Nat walked softly in, almost afraid to break the room. She looked up, spying a black and gold chandelier. She turned back to Bonnie and the others, pointing stupidly to the chandelier.

"There's a chandelier in my closet." She pointed out. "A freaking chandelier. In. My. Closet." Her maids laughed at her shock.

"Have you seen what else?" Velma said teasingly, taking a hanger from one of tons in one section, showing off a to-die-for black evening gown studded with silver. Nat could hardly believe her eyes as she looked around the room, actually noticing the normal closet things, now that her initial chandelier shell-shock was over. Stuff was everywhere. Little built ins housed gorgeous evening gowns, ball gowns, cocktail dresses, day dresses, shoes, jewelry, cardigans and all the accessories a girl could ask for.

"Is this all for me?" Nat asked, throwing her arms out as if to encompass it all.

"Yes, of course! Who else would it be for?" Daphne said.

"Well, Nic and I share almost everything…." Nat admitted.

"Come with me, Lady Nat. I think you'll like the bathroom just as much." Bonnie spoke slyly. She motioned back out to the little transition room, and into the black and white bathroom on the other side. It was huge too, with black marble flooring, and a whale of a bathtub that could only be called a Jacuzzi and maybe a hot tub, in pristine white porcelain. There was a sink, and place like in the Woman's Room earlier to get her makeup and hair done, and, of course, a loo. The toilet paper was even fancy. But, however, the best part was definitely the chandelier, suspended above the bathtub, as well as the miniature ones suspended above the sink area. Despite the marble floors, the room seemed warm. Nat suddenly felt super overwhelmed. And exhausted. The time difference was probably messing her up, and all the excitement. Nat really wanted to go find her sister, but as she followed her maids back to the bedroom area, the gigantic bed looked way too inviting. She knew Nicole would want to talk, but she suddenly could hardly hold her head up.

"What time is dinner again?" She asked.

"It's at seven. You have a little less than two hours." Daphne said. "Would you like to get some rest?"

Nat tried to stifle a jaw-stretching yawn. "You read my mind." She admitted.

"We'll come back in about an hour to help you get ready." Bonnie said.

"Get some rest!" Velma added. Nat's maid's left quietly, and she plopped down on the bed, sinking several inches down. She reached down, and unhooked the clasp on her heels. She kicked them off, and lay down on top of the blankets. She didn't want to wrinkle her dress, and the room was optimal temperature anyway. She shut her eyes, and felt herself fall asleep, in seconds.

…

Nicole nervously bit her lip, trying not to be nervous. Nothing was going to happen tonight anyway. She wasn't going to meet the prince until tomorrow. Still, as she watched Karen re-curl her newly dyed locks, she couldn't help but think what Nat would think. Her uncomplicated easy-going sister would probably have a lot to say. But Nicole wasn't going back. She liked this, the new her. Ashley had freshened her makeup, and Karen was fixing her hair. Shiloh was back in the bedroom with two different maids, remaking the bed in lavender, instead of pink, at Nicole's request. Nicole had already changed out of the black and pink short dress, and into an evening gown, or what Sophia called the appropriate garments for dinner. It was light blue-gray, with a sweetheart neckline, and no sleeves. It wasn't very elaborate, but Nicole wasn't going to impress anyone but the other Selected, and all she needed to impress was Prince Ethan. Tomorrow.

Her maids had told her there would be a special screening of the Report, of the footage they had taken so far. Nicole doubted she would even make an appearance.

When her maids were finished, Ashley took her outside, and showed her the unofficial meeting place for the Selected. It was in the loft by the stairs that led down to the main hallway. A few of the girls were already there. She wanted to talk to Autumn again, but didn't see her. Instead, she looked for Gracie, but she hadn't arrived yet either. In fact, she didn't recognize anyone. A few names matched with faces, but Nicole was suddenly seized with shyness. Mackenzie entered the foyer, in a revealing emerald green dress with a sky-high slit. She surveyed Nicole's gown with distaste, and went to talk to Cordelia Whitney. Nicole recognized the movie star, dressed in red. She and Mackenzie were both famous, and started up a lively conversation. She recognized Meagan Stewart, in a pretty A-line lilac dress, her blonde hair in a simple updo. Just then, a new girl entered the foyer. Nicole recognized her immediately. Elly Olsen. She had found out the girl was a ballerina, a soloist in the Company of Bonita, after seeing a news report on all the famous people in the Selection. Nicole had meant to seek her out earlier, but had never had the chance. She cautiously approached her. Elly noticed her approach, and greeted her with a sweet smile. She wore a ballet pink sparkly dress, strapless, with an empire waist. Her olive skin clashed somewhat with her blonde hair, but made her blue eyes pop. She was short and skinny. In fact, Nicole towered over her.

"Hello." Elly greeted her. "You're a dancer, correct?"

"How did you know?" Nicole was caught off-guard somewhat.

"It's how you walk." Elly said. "And how you hold yourself."

"I am."

"But you're a Four." Elly pointed out. Nicole nodded.

"I train myself, sort of."

"Interesting." Elly said.

"You're in the Bonita Company." Nicole blurted out.

"I am." Elly copied Nicole's words from earlier. Nicole was about to ask her something else, but was rudely interrupted.

"NICKY, WHAT DID YOU DO TO YOUR HAIR?" Nat yelled as she entered the foyer. Nicole winced, at the volume of her sister's tone, and at the nickname. Nat wore a mermaid style dark pink dress. Other that, she looked pretty much the same. Her rumored-to-be-straight hair was pinned up, so Nicole couldn't tell. Immediately, all the girls in the foyer went silent. Sophia, who had just arrived, glared daggers at Nat, and marched towards her. Nicole felt her cheeks heat up, and smiled apologetically at Elly, and wished she could disappear. Everyone was whispering and looking at her now. Sophia reprimanded Nat in quiet tones, but the damage had already been done. Nicole self-consciously ran her hand through her hair. She had felt so pretty and cool earlier, but now realized her hair job had been a horrible mistake.

"Ignore them." She heard a quiet voice next to her. She turned to see an older brunette, who was probably nineteen or even twenty. Nicole racked her brain, trying to remember her name. _Amelia? _She supposed.

"It's kind of hard." She whispered back, just as Mackenzie and Cordelia burst into loud laughter, looking in her direction. A newcomer had joined the gaggle of mean girls, and looked confused about the joke.

"What? I don't get it." Nicole heard her ask. She recognized her too, another famous actress, Rory Bande. Nicole made out Mackenzie say something about the twins and hair dye, but Cordelia's continuous laughter made it hard to hear.

"I know." Amelia said. "But you're better than that. It takes nerves, to dye your hair. And it looks great."

"Does it?" Nicole asked miserable.

"Chin up, girl. You're gorgeous." Amelia said, smiling at Nicole, and squeezing her hand. She looked gorgeous herself, in a lacy baby blue gown, her dark hair spilling down her back. Nicole suddenly didn't feel so bad. She didn't want to win herself, since she was focused on her aspirations to become a ballerina like Elly, but Amelia definitely deserved to win.

Nat broke away from Sophia, and ran towards Nicole, holding the hem of her dress up around her knees, and stumbling around in her heels. Nicole tensed, expecting more yelling, but instead, Nat through her arms around her.

"I love it! Why didn't I think of that?" Nat surprised Nicole by saying. She hugged Nicole again. "You look great! Wait 'til Prince Ethan gets a look at you!"

"Huh?" Nicole said dumbly. "You like it? I thought you would hate it."

"Are you crazy? I love it!" Nat said. Sophia shot a glare at her, and Nat quieted down, as Taylor Hollister, in a simple dark blue gown, and Dorianne Davenport, in purple Greek style gown, entered. Nat gushed-quietly- to Nicole about her room and her maids and the palace for a while, while they waited for the other girls to come in.

"Alright, ladies." Sophia clapped her hands to focus their attention on her. A blonde in a long sleeved red dress slipped in next to Nat, the pin on her bodice reading "Lady Cora Abel." Nicole caught sight of Gracie, and waved her over. She saw Autumn, talking to Elly, of all people, and waved.

"Before dinner, you will all see a special Report in the Woman's Room. Please follow me in a double file line." Sophia waited for the girls to arrange themselves, and led the way down the stairs. Nicole fell in step with Gracie, behind Nat and Cora, craning her neck for any glimpse of the royal family. She couldn't wait to talk to Princess Christine. Before marrying Prince Andrew in his Selection a few years earlier, she had been a Two, and a ballerina.

The Woman's Room had been transformed from a hectic, helter-skelter makeover studio to a posh sitting area. The tables and chairs and dressing rooms and vanities were gone, making the room seem much bigger. Couches and armchairs and coffee tables were scattered in groupings, vase after vase of fresh flowers ornamenting the area. Nicole followed Nat and Cora to one of the largest couches, and squeezed in next to her sister. Gracie had stopped to talk to Lilly Gaston, who had on a bright yellow dress. Autumn made her way through the crowd and sat down next to Nicole, wearing a dark blue gown studded with silver.

"Hi!" She whispered as the lights dimmed and the immense flat-screen TV turned on.

"Did you talk to Elly?" Nicole whispered back, smiling as Gracie sat down on Autumn's other side.

"Yep. She's a little….spacey." Autumn said, giggling slightly. Sophia shushed them, and the Report started. There were no announcements from the royal family this time. It launched straight into the Selected. In fact, it even looked recorded in a different place. Taren Granger, the Official Host, smiled warmly.

"Good evening, citizens. Tonight, I bring you a special episode. Today, thirty five lovely young women entered our Angeles Palace. These lucky ladies will compete for the love of our second Prince Ethan, and one of them will marry him. Tonight, you get to meet these girls. Tomorrow, Prince Ethan will meet with them in person. And, without further ado, I present to you, the Selected!" Taren's image faded, and music swelled. Clips from the report that announced it all played in tiles, combined with videos of the send offs, makeovers, everything. It changed to a video of Mackenzie, perched in her usual spot, reading off news.

"Everyone knows Miss Mackenzie Parker, the host of the Angeles News, and it showed." The video switched to the airport, the fans going wild. Nicole caught a glimpse of herself, smiling tensely, standing behind Mackenzie. "She is already quite popular, and the Selection hasn't even officially begun. Her signature scent is lavender." Nicole saw Mackenzie smile haughtily, exchanging a glance with Rory and Cordelia. Typical. Her smile faltered as it changed to a different girl.

"Miss Elly Olsen carries herself as the ballerina she is." The video changed to Elly practically sashaying through crowds at her send off. "Erica Carter was bubbly and excited to leave, while Miss Saskia Buchannan didn't seem too happy to be escorted away from her boyfriend, who she claims to have cut off relations with, but was seen in a tearful goodbye with him." Nicole noticed the lower castes were being skipped over much more.

"Miss Autumn Hunter never seemed to stop smiling today. She was even quick to make friends." The video showed Nicole talking to Autumn. Nat elbowed her in her ribs, and Nicole grinned at Autumn. "Miss Megan Stewart, a Six from Panama, showed her beauty today with her touching goodbye that left not only her in tears, but also many of us."

"Well know actress Aurora "Rory" Bande had to practically tear herself away from her fans. Her famous parents, divorced, even came together to see her off, although the tension was in the air between Garrison Bande and Persephone Oswald. We think this starlet will go far in the completion. Sporting heels from Persephone's line, Forever Diamond, Rory was beautiful a beautiful blonde. Alana Harowski seemed the perfect doll as she arrived today. She seemed to get along great with the girls she flew with, and played the crowd perfectly. She wore bright red flats from the boutique she works at, showcasing her auburn curls. "

"Alexina Lee, one of the two novelists, and a Three, was trying to keep her emotions in check as she said goodbye to her family. She didn't seem very excited, but brightened up as she got her makeover. Ava Rothman was excited, but avoided our cameras for the most part. Now a blonde, the former red-head has continually dodged our cameras. Audra Jepson didn't get a warm welcome from the crowd as she stepped off the airplane, but has swapped her brunette locks for red. Ruby Larson was all jokes, laughing at herself, even after tripping over her heels after her makeover, and getting off the plane. She is one of several Fives in the competition. Lilly Gaston is another Five, and this petite beauty could barely keep from crying as she left her family. A Four, Juniella Alonzo quickly got over falling as she climbed the stage at her send off. This New Asian and Spanish beauty was very quiet, but very cheerful and optimistic.

"Fennley's own, Miss Adele Warren, a live theatre actress, flew home from her tour to be with her family. She and fellow tour mate Felicity Weaver will both be competing against one another in the Selection. Adele was a vintage beauty with curls, pearls, and lipstick, which has become her signature look early on. She could help but channel her excitement with a time step while greeting admirers at the airport. Gracelyn Luna, after insisting everyone call her Gracie, could hardly contain her excitement, preparing cupcakes for her flight-mates, and hugging her maids three times over the course of her makeover.

"In a surprising turn of events, we have two not just sisters, but twins fighting each other for the crown. Representing Kent, Natalia Rosalyn was lacking some confidence in her send off, but appeared to regain it after a little help from her sister Nicole." The video switched to Nat and Nicole on the send-off stage to Nicole blowing up at Ben and slapping him. The girls giggled, and Nicole felt herself blush again.

"The twins were certainly excited to be together, although each set themselves apart. Natalia traded her curls for straight, while Nicole went from dark brown locks to more of a burnished gold color."

Nicole looked over at Nat, and gave her a side hug. It showed them getting off the plane together, and then a shot of their shoes.

"Natalia channeled her inner country girl with a pair of riding boots, while Nicole went more feminine with cream ballet flats. Miss Tatiana Sarvex, from Whites, was a crowd darling. This redhead was cheeky and fun as she greeted fans at the airport, and said goodbye. Prince Ethan, I hope you like the smell of sugar cookies, as it is Lissa Dove's signature scent. She also broke our hearts with her tearful goodbye, but out of all the girls, she spent the most time with her fans, showing her true heart. This girl would make an excellent queen. Michaela Williams went from a rather uptight baker to a carefree, fun blonde. Her beach blonde waves are a great new look for her. Before mentioned Felicity Weaver was excited to join her tour mate Adele in the Selection, and the girls had an excited reunion with her friend.

"Fashion Designer Amber Autumns advocated her exclusive line of footwear by pairing a pair of red high heels with her black and white uniform. She chose the combination of two scents to form Caramel Buttercream. This bubbly red head greeted fans every step of the way, and our cameras caught a glimpse of her mother, Julia Autumns, the well know country superstar."

"Well known model Sirena Mastrano gave our cameras and her fans a cold shoulder, not taking much time to greet them. On closer look, however, this scarlet haired bombshell looked pale and overwhelmed, and didn't seem to be feeling well. We hope this gorgeous gal recovers soon! She chose Cinnamon as her signature scent, prompting mystery of sorts. We look forward to seeing her effect on the prince."

"In a surprising turn of events, Miss Amelia Wilde, one of the oldest girls in the competition, was caught in a harsh exchange of words with Illean Military Academy cadet Erin Rusk." The video showed Amelia and Erin, showing Amelia tell Erin the prince would kick her out as soon as he met her, and then realizing she was being recorded. Something about Erin's smirk made Nicole doubt Amelia was in the wrong. She caught sight of Erin across the room, and the muscular girl seemed unfazed.

"One of three Sevens, Miss Taylor Hollister showed up wearing sexy black high heels. We have seen this beauty many times on the arms of celebrities, the ones who couldn't get a date!" Taren quipped. "Prince Ethan, you can now scent her out by her signature scent, pina coloda."

"Dorianne Davenport was all smiles as she said goodbye to the people of Waverly. Her family was evidently unsupportive about her choice, as this Four came alone to her send off. But this girl had a smile for everyone, and that smile brought hope into the lives of many. Bryn Harris, a Five, was quite the lady today. Her beautiful golden curls set her apart as fairy tale princess material, as does her radiant smile.

"Cordelia Whitney was a surprising choice, but a familiar face. You've seen her always in younger roles in movies, such as _Winter's Knight _and _Under the Sea, _but now she's all grown up, and a participant at the palace. Cora Abel's quiet demeanor, and sweet smile sets her apart. She was seen striking up a friendship with Natalia Rosalyn, and was very respectful of everyone. Although training to be a vet, this blonde's looks say quite the contrary. She is defiantly Selection material. Hana Piper set herself apart in her makeover with modestly cut dresses, knee length with sleeves. However, this doesn't detract from her, but sets her apart. She wore low sandal heels in purple, showing off her funky side."

"Gaging from Prince Ethan's reaction during the announcement, I would say Katherine Page and Gracie Luna have the upper hand. Katherine was very nervous getting on the plane in Calgary today, since her oldest sister was killed in a place crash a few years ago. Still, she was very sweet to all the girls she met today. Summer Lee was a little spitfire today. She hugged almost everyone she talked to, even the strangers. Hopefully, this adorable Five won't be hindered by her epilepsy, and will still be able to participate in the Selection."

"Today, Miss Elvira Entrinken traded her private's uniform for dresses and makeup. This gal is sure to be a fierce competitor, since she is in our military. Her makeover look was perfect for her, dark and intimidating. She abandoned her black leather boots for a pair of black platform heels, and killed it in an edgy black dress. Well, there you have it folks. These are the girls of the Selected."

The TV turned off, and the lights came back on. They were checking each other out more carefully now, figuring out who was their best and worst competition. Nicole noticed quite a bit more tension in the room. She herself was looking at girls like Summer Lee and Taylor Hollister differently now, that she knew of their history.

"Alright, girls, it's time for dinner. You will meet the royals tomorrow at breakfast, so be on your best behavior." She led them all to the dining room, and it was chaos for a few seconds as they all tried to find their place cards. Nicole found herself next to Lissa Dove and Dorianne Davenport, and across from Autumn, thankfully. Nat sat at the other table, with Rory Bande and Sirena Mastrano. At the end of both of the tables for the Selected, there was the table for the royals, so the arrangement formed sort of an unfinished square.

Dinner was delicious. The steak was juicy and cooked to perfection, with the richest mashed potatoes Nicole had ever tasted. She tried to pay attention to Sophia's lessons in table manners, but by the time the dessert came out-chocolate mousse with clouds of whipped cream-her attention span suffered greatly. Once everyone was done, Sophia took them back to the second floor. She helped some girls find their rooms again. Nicole said goodnight to Nat and Autumn, and trudged wearily back to her own room. Sophia had instructed them to go straight to bed, and Nicole wasn't going to argue with that. She was exhausted.

Karen, Ashley, and Shiloh had finished remodeling a few things in her bedroom when she returned. The pinks had been largely replaced with lilac colored things, and the cream had been balanced out with a few black accents. Draped over her bed was a nightgown, a silky yellow dress that reminded her of, well, a princess. First, they insisted she take a bath, which was weird, since they insisted on helping her. Once the hairspray and makeup was gone, Nicole almost felt like herself again. She brushed her teeth, and put on the nightgown. After assuring her maids that she didn't need them to sleep in the room, although they assured her they could if she needed them, Nicole settled into the bed, already turned down. The sheets were cool and refreshing, and the mattress was like a cloud. Nicole snuggled further in, but her stupid nightgown got all tangled up and bunched around her legs. She tried to fix it, but to no avail. Oh well. She switched off the lamp, and lay on her back, waiting for her eyes to adjust to darkness. She sighed deeply, and felt her body relax.

But her mind was wide awake.

She would meet Prince Ethan.

Tomorrow.

…

**There ya go! You know how I said I would do more shorter chapters? Yeah, this is another 4000 worder, but I'm trying! I wasn't going to include the Report thing, but I re-read the scene in the book for ideas, and decided it would be fun. Anyway, next chaper will shorter. It's more artsy, and basically the highlighted main characters getting ready and their thoughts on what the day holds. (Nat, Nicole, Adele, Lissa, Sirena, Gracie, and Mackenzie.) **

**Just to get your thoughts, is this confusing? Does it make since to whats going on, or is there just too many characters? Is it too slow? Let me know in a review, and don't forget to check out **zanzibaby**'s (Gracie and Mackenzie), **theYAfangirl17**'s (Sirena, Lissa, and Taylor) and **majesctictales**'s (Katherine) new Selection SYOC stories! **


	18. Anxiety

**I know, I know, even I wish I could update every day, and believe me, if I could, I would! **

**Make sure to check out my profile! I posted a "face claim" for all the girls, and the royal family too! I couldn't find one for my in-name-only character Ava, so just imagine someone you hate, since that's what I did :P **

**Thanks to my reviewers: **zanzibaby, delovlies, theYAfangirl17, Ally G (guest), 4Love4Love4, mnbvcxc-xx, fairy not princess, majestic tales, Erudite Selection/Natalie**, you guys are the best of the best!**

**This is just a little "bridge" chapter! In around 500 words (each POV), it basically gets the thoughts of some of the main characters (I'm trying to 'rotate' them POV wise) and also a snipet from Ethan. Its right before the 'interviews' and the girls meeting the Prince, so there will be more primping from the girls, who Nat, Nicole, Gracie, Mackenzie, Amelia, Sirena, and Adele. **

***Note* Sirena's POV is a little T rated, so be advised. It contains several struggles that she's going through, so read with caution. **

…

Adele sighed dramatically. Her maids hadn't known of her fashion tastes, and it frustrated her. She had drawn several examples, and they promised to have new vintage inspired clothes for her soon, but nothing was 'her' currently hanging in her closet. Although it was morning, Sophia had instructed all the maids to dress the girls in formal evening gowns, since they were meeting the Prince, after all.

She had ended up in a bright sky blue halter top style gown. It was rather plain, but Adele liked it. Besides, it was low cut, showing off her bust, but still tasteful, since it went to the floor. Her maids-Rita, Debbie, and Kara-had saved the day by finding an adorable pair of white tee-strap heels to pair it with. They had also done a fabulous job on her hair and makeup. Her acne was covered up with expensive, for once, foundation, and a little eyeliner and mascara. The light blue eye shadow matched her dress perfectly, and her ever-present lipstick was in place. She finally had started to like her short hair. The blonde highlights, bangs, and perfect curls made her look and feel even more vintage. Kara fastened a strand of pearls around her neck, completing the look.

"Do you like it, Lady Adele?" Debbie asked.

"It will have to do." Adele said simply. Actually, she felt gorgeous, and it had turned out alright, but one rule of theatre told her never to let her guard down. Besides, acting had made her a very dramatic person. Her maids looked slightly upset, like they were about to be fired. Adele didn't want to hurt their feelings, so she quickly amended the situation.

"You guys did well with what you had, though." She said hastily. Her maids immediately brightened.

"Are you nervous, Lady Adele?" Rita asked.

"Me? Nervous? I don't think so." Adele said breezily. Again, acting. She wasn't terrified, but she wasn't cool either. She hadn't felt any heart flutters for any guy before, so what made her think she would start now? She had entered never thinking to get picked, but now that she was here, she wanted to win. Maybe she would be in love with Prince Ethan, but she hadn't even met the guy! One day, someone would love her like in the movies. She wouldn't have to dramatize feelings for the leading man after kicking her legs too high during rehearsal, and making sure he got a good glimpse of her thigh high hose. All to get a small, better paying part, of course.

At the very least, if she could become a princess or fall in love, she might get to marry a Two whenever she got kicked out of here, and she could finally become a big-time actress. Her maids had told her that almost every girl in the elder Prince Andrew's Selection had married the rich and famous. Then she wouldn't have to work in two shows at a time, and stay to clean up afterwards. As long as she didn't screw this up, she would be fine. Felicity always told her when she was uncomfortable in a situation, she would talk way too much.

…

Amelia cringed inwardly, remembering the spectacle she had caused yesterday with Erin, only to have it featured on the Report. Every time she thought of it, she cringed. Now Prince Ethan was going to think she was some stuck up, mean bratty Three who was a jerk to everyone. Well, maybe she shouldn't have said that to Erin, about her being kicked out as soon as he met her. But still, she _had _been provoked. And betrayed. And cheated on. _Maybe I should apologize to her. _Amelia thought. _I can't explain to Prince Ethan. Too much history. Guys don't like history with potential girlfriends. Well, technically I am his girlfriend, but still. _

She watched in the mirror as her maid, Chloe, finished a waterfall braid on the crown of her head. Carly stood by with a hot curling iron, ready to transform her boring brunette locks into voluminous curls. Louise had already finished her makeup-brown eye shadow and dark eye pencil with a little mascara and some lip gloss- and had gone to pick out a different dress for Amelia. Chloe secured the braid with two bobby pins, and stepped back so Carly could curl it.

"I'll go help Louise." Chloe said, exiting the bathroom and leaving shy Carly alone with Amelia.

"You're really good at that." Amelia said, after Carly released another perfect curl and sprayed it lightly with hairspray. Carly's cheeks turned pink.

"Thank you, miss." She said softly.

"So…do you know Prince Ethan?" Amelia asked, in an attempt to break the awkward silence.

"Not personally." Carly said, blushing even more. "I mean…well…I've never served him, but he seems very nice. He doesn't say much though."

"Oh. Well, what does he like to do?" She asked.

"I don't know, miss. I'm a ladies maid." Carly admitted.

"Right. Sorry, I should have remembered."

"Not a problem." Carly said. "Have you ever served the Queen? Or Princess Michelle?"

"Yes, I used to do Princess Michelle's hair."

"Really? However did you get assigned to me?" Amelia joked. Carly blushed deeper, and sprayed another curl with hairspray.

"I'll tell you if you promise not to tell the other girls." Carly said, lowering her already soft voice. Amelia nodded.

"I promise."

"Okay. My brother, David, he's a guard." Carly said. "And, well, let's just say Michelle has feeling for him. I used to deliver messages and such between them. Queen Francesca caught them embracing, and sent me away, to make it harder for them I guess. She didn't want to make a scene. She didn't even tell Michelle she saw them together. Just me."

"Does David love Michelle?" Amelia asked. She was, and had always been, a champion for true love.

"Oh yes. He speaks about her in ways that make me think of fairy tales." Carly's eyes took on a glistening sheen. "But they can never be together."

"Isn't she going to be engaged to the Prince of Italy?"

"Yes. After her twenty second birthday, in a few months."

"It's like _Romeo and Juliet._" Amelia mused. Before Carly could reply, however, Louise and Chloe re-entered, with Amelia's ensemble.

"Sophia said all the Selected have to wear formal gowns. Do you like this?" Louise asked, hefting the dress and the hanger.

"It's beautiful!" Amelia gushed. It was, though. The corset style bodice was fitted and strapless, with a sweetheart neckline. It was cream colored, with pale brownish detailing. At just above her hips, the full skirt flared out in cream colored and nude pink tulle. Her maids helped her into the beautiful dress. Chloe handed her a pair of cream colored wedges, and a strand of tiny pearls for her necklace. Amelia put them on, as well as the dangly pearl earrings. She just hoped Prince Ethan would see past her mistakes from yesterday.

…

Mackenzie knew this would be a walk in the park. This interview with Prince Ethan was nothing new to her. Not only had she interviewed many on Angeles News, she had been frequently interviewed herself, on the red carpet and such. This would be a cinch. Unless Ethan was one of those boys who only cared for the Gracie Luna types. They wanted a Cinderella, a Sleeping Beauty, who would be beautiful and helpless and selfless and perfect. _I'm not that girl. _Mackenzie thought haughtily. She was only here for the money, the fame, the crown. She didn't care about Ethan, and she hadn't even met him. Still, all males had one weakness. Mackenzie grinned to herself, jutting out one hip, and liking what she saw in the mirror. Her new maids were much better than the ones who had messed up her hair dye. They, per her instructions, had worked through the night to create one smokin' hot dress. It was red, of course, and covered in sequins. It helped that it was also very tight and low cut. The mermaid style bodice hugged her curves like a glove, and the push up bra did its duty, and would drown Ethan in cleavage when she talked to him. A little silver accent belt accentuated her tiny waist and hourglass figure. About halfway down her thighs, the dress flared out like a trumpet in scarlet satin. Six inch red stilettos, and diamond chandelier earrings finished it off.

If that wouldn't get Ethan's attention, he must be asleep.

Her strawberry blonde locks were considerably lighter, after the hair dye incident, but the color suited her. They fell in perfect waves on her right, held back with a practically invisible bobby pin, and plenty of hairspray. Eliza, Mackenzie's favorite maid so far, had done a great job on her makeup. Her skin was flawless, and her eyes outlined in thick liquid eyeliner. Plenty of mascara, and a dark silvery eye shadow, and ruby lipstick completed her image.

Eliza was a pretty awesome maid. Just like Mackenzie, the two were already getting along well. On the other hand, Julia, the head maid, was a bossy old hag. The woman was ugly, and yet she had the nerve to be a servant in the palace. She was rude to Mackenzie, and always acted like she expected Mackenzie to thank her or something. The last maid, Caitlin, was a little slip of a girl. She was terrified of Eliza, and barely nodded to Julia. She reminded Mackenzie way too much of Gracie Luna.

Last night had gone well. She had been highlighted on the Report, and had all the girls sucking up to her. Even the famous actresses Cordelia Whitney and Rory Bande laughed whenever she laughed. Mackenzie liked Cordelia, but Rory was already getting on her nerves. She always had to have an answer to everything, and it drove Mackenzie nuts! Besides that, her laugh was the most annoying thing ever! Another person Mackenzie already hated was Gracie Luna. The stupid blonde was always giggling and putting on her sweet little Miss Purity and Love act. Gracie made Mackenzie start thinking about Nat Rosalyn. The girl who had thrown a cupcake at her. She had the whole twin thing going for her, which made her featured heavily on the Report. She didn't deserve what she had.

Mackenzie shook the thoughts of her vendettas aside. It was almost time to leave, and she needed to get her act together. _Can't have Ethan thinking I'm a jerk, now can I? _She mused. Even if she was, he didn't have to know that!

…

Nat sighed deeply, and tried to relax. She usually wasn't so nervous about stuff like this! Maybe it was the dress. The empire waist deep pink gown was overlaid with black tulle, and had corset style top that look almost like leather. It was a little more rocker chic than Nat herself was, but she liked it. Coupled with a black and silver belt above her hips, and black pumps-with a low heel, thankfully-she had to admit she looked pretty good. She still couldn't get over her straight her. It was blown out and straightened to perfection, with a little twisted back and pinned out of her eyes. She wore a wide black bracelet, and a ring that looked like a black rose. It was somewhat edgier than usual, but it suited her. Just enough makeup-eyeliner, mascara, and foundation-refined her image.

Still, she couldn't help feeling so nervous. She just didn't know why! She didn't want to say something stupid, or trip, or have a wardrobe malfunction or something, obviously, but it was more than that. _Maybe I'm afraid I'll actually like him. Or I'll hate him. I don't know! _She was so confused! When she had met Ben, it was different. They had gone to school together, and worked at the same farm, both exercising the horses. They had gradually become friends, and had had a brother-sister relationship. They were always teasing each other, and joking around, and not caring that they were of the opposite sex. When Ben had admitted his feelings for her, that had blossomed suddenly, Nat had realized their friendship had grown deeper. Their relationship hadn't changed much. They were still friends who had fun together, but now they held hands sometimes, and kissed goodbye after a while. It had been nice. No flirting, no romantic gestures, just best friends.

Of course, Ben wasn't dating thirty four other girls he had never met before, and he certainly wasn't a prince. There had been no interview, no Selection, no questionnaire, no lottery. Their relationship just _was. _

Nat hated all this feeling analyzing stuff. Why couldn't stuff make sense? Why couldn't she be like Nicole, who had this stuff all figured out? Why her? Why was she in the Selection? What made her special enough?

Nat groaned, and clapped her hands over her ears. She still had five minutes before she should leave, and still be early to the rendezvous point at the top of the stairs. Hopefully she would embarrass Nicole again. She hoped she could talk to Cora again. She liked her new friend. She seemed very shy, but she was extremely perceptive of Nat's thoughts. She always had a cool story to tell about her vet experiences, too. Thankfully, she sat across from her at dinner. Sirena Mastrano was on one side, and Rory Bande on the other. Both girls were Twos. Sirena had been nice, though. She had been loud and talkative, and talked to everyone around them, despite the Report saying she had looked ill. Rory, though, had said little, and scowled most of the time, looking over at her 'friends', Mackenzie and Cordelia. Still, the few things she had said weren't mean like them. In fact, she was kind of funny, if a little snarky and rebellious.

Nat checked the time again. Two minutes to go. She might as well go now. She waved to her maids, cleaning the already clean room, and got up from her chair, and stepped in the hallway. _Here goes nothing. _

…

Gracie could hardly contain her excitement! She bounced her knees up down, sending the layers of her lavender ball gown into a frenzy. The dress was gorgeous-a silk bodice, and a tulle skirt, with a satin layer of ruching over the hips. It was embellished with glittery crystals, and little rose pick-ups on the hips. Two strands of hair on either side of her head had been pulled back and braided and tied with a purple ribbon on the back of her head. The rest of her hair was in tight ringlets that bounced wildly every time she moved her head. Tiny lilac satin flowers and miniature pearls were pinned on the braids, creating a spray of flowers. She wore a pair of matching heels and and her necklace, with the music note charm. Her makeup was light-bronze eye shadow and mascara with a light pink lipstick. She couldn't wait to meet Prince Ethan!

The only thing that was bad about the Selection was that she missed riding. She missed her horse Zanzibar terribly, since she hadn't had time to ride him since being announced. She had been ecstatic to have her window overlooking one of the paddocks and the stables. She had spent her free time gazing out the window yesterday. All of the horses grazing had been beautiful, well-bred ones. She saw a lot of Thoroughbreds and Arabians, and several warm blooded jumpers. She had even watched Prince Andrew and Princess Christine enter the stable and come out leading horses. They had trotted out of sight, into the expansive woods that surrounded the palace to the east. It had been so exciting though!

Gracie couldn't wait to tour the grounds. The palace was one thing, but the stables and massive equine complex on the south side of the palace looked extremely promising. The palace faced east, with the sprawling gardens, a separate indoor pool and gym, and several other buildings lay west behind the palace. She hadn't even seen the whole palace. Her maids, Lillian, Lizzie, and Summer, had told her about the third floor, where the royal family lived, and the west wing of the palace. They also told her about the servant's quarters, in the basement, or on the north side of the palace. The kitchen complex was under a large portion of the castle, as well as adjacent to the dining room. Right before they had left for the night, Gracie had expressed her interest in seeing the kitchens and her secret project to Lizzie, who was closest to her own age, and she promised to help Gracie.

Gracie got up from the couch in the sitting area in her room. She had been ready for twenty minutes now, after being way to excited to sleep anymore. A thousand questions raced through her mind. _What if Prince Ethan doesn't like me? What if he likes a girl like Mackenzie? What if he likes me? _She had never had a boyfriend before, and she didn't really know what to expect. Sure, she had crushes, but that's just what they were-crushes. She went to the mirror, smoothing her hair. She brought her wrist to her nose, inhaling the rich smell of what was supposed to be Red Velvet, but smelled more like vanilla. Still, it smelled great! Summer and Lizzie came out of the bathroom and closet where they had been putting things away from getting ready.

"Lady Gracie, do you need anything?" Summer asked. Gracie beamed at her maids.

"No, I'm just nervous. I still have twenty minutes!" Her maids went back to their tasks, and Gracie bounced up and down on her toes. She couldn't wait!

…

Nicole wasn't the least bit worried. Sure, she wanted to see what Prince Ethan was really like, but other than that, she couldn't really find it within herself to care. He was a prince, so he probably was stuck up or something. But it didn't matter whether she liked him or he liked her. She wasn't about that. All she had to do was stay for a few weeks to amp up her prestige, and make it to the Elite. Sophia told her all the girls in the Elite became Twos, which made Nicole's plan easier. Now she wouldn't have to marry into the caste, and could instead pursue her career as a professional ballerina. Even if she was kicked out today, she still had plan B.

Although her outfit choice yesterday had been a little out of character, she loved her outfit today. It was a fitted mermaid style gown, in light pink. It was strapless, with a high sweetheart neckline. The bottom part was ruffled, and her waist was accented with a silver belt. She wore a rhinestone choker necklace and a bracelet, as well as drop-down rhinestone earrings. Her hair looked like a story book princess. Karen had expertly curled her pre-existing curls into fine, tiny curls. She had pinned back some of it, leaving a few tendrils to frame her face. Several curls hung down her back, and tiny pearl pins accented the up-do part. It looked great with her new hair color. Shiloh had outlined her eyes with a regular amount of black, and done smoky black eye shadow, and just enough mascara. She had swept on a light barely there peach color to her eyebrows, putting a similar color on her lips. Nicole loved her classy platform heels, when she walked, the clicking heel made her feel so important.

Nicole left her room right on time. She felt the short train of her gown drag across the polished marble behind her, and lengthened her stride down the hallway. Several other girls were leaving their rooms too, but Nicole didn't see anyone she really knew well. She placed Katherine Page with a face, and smiled at the brunette. Her hair was in a soft, romantic updo, gathered back, and twisted into a loose knot at the back. A spray of tiny white flowers accentuated it, and a few short curls spilled out here and there, which made her look like a princess. Katherine had set herself apart by wearing white. She wore a classic romantic one shouldered gown. It was simple, but beautiful. It had an empire waist, and was covered with an overlay of tulle, and sprinkled with silk flowers, like the ones in her hair.

"I love your dress." Nicole said, falling in step next to Katherine while still trying to maneuver her train.

"Thank you!" Katherine smiled wide as she spoke. "I love yours." On closer look, Katherine had a gold bracelet with a small bird charm, and a delicate necklace, a spray of pearls.

"Are you nervous?" Nicole asked. Katherine nodded vigorously.

"I just know I'm going to throw up on him of get lipstick on my teeth or something." She joked.

"I think you'll be fine." Nicole assured her.

"Are _you _nervous?" Katherine asked in return.

"Not really." Nicole didn't elaborate much. "Well, maybe a little." She added, feeling her stomach tighten. A million 'what-ifs' ran through her mind. What if she was kicked out before the Elite, and no one wanted to marry her? What if she couldn't make it in ballet? Was all this for naught?

…

Sirena's body convulsed in a shuddering sob. She gripped the toilet seat she was leaning over, and tried to calm down. There hadn't even been a trigger this time. She rocked back on her heels, and wiped her mouth on the back of her hand. She fumbled blindly to flush toilet, the everyday sound haunting her ears. This was becoming too frequent. She had tried to tell herself this was normal before, but the ugly little word kept coming back. Bulimia.

Sirena stood up, still in her nightgown. Her maids knocked in protest on the door leading to the closet and bathroom, but she had dragged the stupid little couch from the closet in front of it, just in case they also possessed a key. She went to the sink, and turned on the water. She cupped her hands, and watched them fill with water, still crying. She splashed the water on her face, repeating it several times. This wasn't about her modeling career anymore. This was getting serious. She didn't even know why she was doing it. Sirena chocked back a sob, and rifled through the vanity. No pills of any kind. Not even sleeping pills. She took a deep breath, and grabbed her tooth brush. After brushing her teeth and using mouthwash, she could almost forget about what had transpired earlier. She tried to finger comb her hair, but the red tresses were too tangled. She straightened her nightgown, and set a smile on her face, moving to the door. She opened it, seeing the faces of her maids. Abigail and Sarah looked at her worriedly, but Bethany was barely smirking and still trying to look concerned.

"Lady Sirena, are you all right?" She asked.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. I forgot to mention I was allergic to…" Sirena thought back quickly to dinner last night, but could only remember waiting for her maids to leave so she could get rid of it. "I mean, something must not have agreed with me. I feel better now, though."

"Are you sure?" Sarah asked. "I'm sure if your ill then Sophia and Prince Ethan will understand."

"No, it's okay." Sirena kept her smile pasted in place.

"Good, then. We need to get you ready. You look terrible, and we only have twenty minutes."

"Well, I've looked worse." Sirena mumbled, dutifully following her maids back into the bathroom. After she took yet another bath, they parted, brushed and curled her hair, not allowing time for anything more complicated. They did her makeup, plenty of foundation and blush to cover up her paleness, heavy eyeliner and mascara to hide the bags under her eyes, and bright lipstick. They scurried off the get her a dress, and came back with three different dresses after a squabble. Bethany had a slinky gold dress, a notoriously bad color on red heads. Abigail held the logical choice, a stunning drop waist emerald green gown. Sarah had a pretty dress, but it was obvious she would like to wear it, and not Sirena. It was hot pink, poufy, and bordering on hideous.

Sirena noticed Bethany was smirking again. _I guess she's out to get me._ Sirena concluded. She smiled widely. "I like the gold dress. Thank you Bethany." She said flakily, snatching the garment. Sarah handed her the appropriate underthings, and Sirena locked the bathroom door and quickly got dresses.

"Lady Sirena, we're supposed to help you." Bethany said through the door. Sirena pulled the straps of her bra up, and unzipped the gown, and stepped in, holding the glittery thing in place. If there was one thing she could, it was make any outfit work for her. She opened the door.

"Can you zip it?" She asked sweetly, turning around, catching a glimpse of herself in the mirror. She had to admit she looked great. The eye-catching dress hugged her body, even her legs. A few minutes later, she had on a simple gold bangle bracelet, and gold studs in her ears. The dress was jewelry all by its self, and she didn't want to overwhelm the sparkly fabric. Her long legs were made longer with a sky high pair of gold gladiator heeled sandals. She felt like a million bucks. _Maybe I don't have an eating disorder. Maybe I'm just depressed. _Sirena thought, admiring her figure in the mirror. She put on her fake smile again. No one had ever found about her dark parts before, and she had to ensure it wouldn't happen again.

…

Ethan cleared his throat. He was going to die today. Yep, die. There was no way he would survive this. It would kill him, if he didn't just die first.

Interviewing thirty five girl-total strangers!- one of which he would have to choose to marry. Yep, that would kill him, no doubt about it.

Note the sarcasm.

He tried to calm his racing heart, but by now, there was no hope left for him. He paced back and forth in his room, waiting for the appropriate time, clutching a handful of papers. Andrew had told him this was pretty easy. All he had to do was talk to each girl for four or five minutes, and get rid of the ones he didn't connect with. As time went on, it would be harder to eliminate them, Andrew told him. Wesley had laughed when he saw how nervous Ethan was. It was easy for them to talk shamelessly to girls, but to Ethan, it was torture. Both of his brothers were loud and obnoxious. Andrew was cocky and very sure of himself. Wesley was mischievous and never serious or quiet. _But me? The middle brother? Idiot who can't even speak to strangers without almost dying. _Ethan clenched his fists. He would love to be like his loud, outgoing siblings. But he wasn't. _Maybe I'm just incapable. _He thought, frowning. He had always been quiet and awkward and lacking in self-confidence. To his brothers, the Selection was awesome. To him, it was awful.

He sat down heavily at his desk. Weren't there more important things that getting married right now to do? He shuffled through his papers, trying to find something to distract him in his last few minutes. Everything he found, though, had to do with the Selection. Lists of girls, pictures of girls, forms of girls, more lists of girls, it was endless.

He found one where he and his brothers had rated them on their appearance. Elvira, Amelia, Gracie, Mackenzie, Sirena, Taylor, and Rory were the front runners. Based on notes from last night's special Report, he had a slight idea of who he was going to send home. A couple girls obviously didn't want to be here anyway.

_Yeah, me neither. _Ethan mused. He would give anything to away from all this, riding his horse, or just not having to worry about anything. But he was out of luck. Oh well.

_Let's do this. _

…

**Make sure to review! It usually helps your character, in case you were wondering! Just because I don't want to write someone's character who doesn't even read this, that's a waste of my time. This is an interactive story! Make sure to check my profile for visuals! Next chapter will be part one of the interviews, since it's sure to be long, from Ethan's POV. **

**Goodnight!**

**-Shades**


	19. QA-Interveiws Part One

**Hey everyone! This is interviews (part one) no one gets eliminated, so don't worry (yet!) I don't know how soon the next chapter will be, since I'm going to start working on finishing my fictionpress story, and one of our goats has an imminent blessed arrival, and baby goats are very distracting! Song Credit: "Day Drinking" by Little Big Town. **

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed! (**zanzibaby, mnbvcx-xx, majestictales, TheGirlWithTheRainbowTattoo, Fairy not princess, theYAfangirl17, 4Love4Love4, delovlies, Alexina's creator/Guest, Demigod-Gallagher-Selected, EruditeAbnegationMockinjay, **and my new reviewer**, Everafterhigh587**! I love you guys!**

…

Ethan took a deep breath, and opened the door. Immediately the high pitched chatter of thirty five girls came to an utter silence. There was a visible wave of movement, as the girls all sat up straighter, tossed their hair, adjusted their gowns, and quickly smiled. He tried to recognize them, but all the names and pictures he had memorized plummeted straight into elsewhere. He suddenly had no idea what to do.

"Welcome, your Highness." Sophia murmured, sinking into a curtsey. The girls clumsily followed suit, getting quickly to their feet, and curtsying. Ethan managed a half-smile, and a nod. His eyes moved back to the girls, who had all 35 pairs of eyes glued to him. It was probably the new most awkward moment of his life.

He saw Mackenzie Parker tug down the already low neckline of her red dress, and suck in a breath. Gracie Luna, the girl who had caught his eye during the Report, had turned pink, but was grinning from ear to ear. He studied her. She was pretty, and he expected to feel something more than nervousness. But nope, nothing. This was hopeless.

He awkwardly cleared his throat. "Thank you, ladies. It's a pleasure to finally see you in person." Immediately after speaking, he realized how idiotic that sounded. "Um, I mean…" He let his words trail off, feeling the tips of his ears get hot. He cleared his throat again, catching Sophia's glance, prodding him forward. He peeked down at the paper in his hands, but could barely read the handwriting. He had a whole speech prepared, but he couldn't even remember _how _to read at this point. "I don't want to take too long, since I know you all are probably all hungry for breakfast…." Ethan stopped, trying to remember what else to say. Gracie was grinning at him like he was Shakespeare. Lissa Dove looked at him hopefully, but her smile was fading.

"Well, I'll be taking you aside and chatting a few minutes, to get to know you a bit." He didn't mention he would be eliminating many of them. "Um, please continue to talk amongst yourselves, though." He realized how much he wounded like Sophia. The girls kept staring at him. Ethan cleared his throat again, and walked over to the far corner of the room, where two unoccupied armchairs sat, a small table between them. He felt the girl's eyes follow his every movement. He looked at the list in his hand, to see who to call first.

"Um, Miss Cora Abel?" A pretty blue-eyed blonde walked nervously out of the standing girls towards him. Sophia instructed the other girls to sit and whisper to each other. Ethan offered Cora a smile. She was a very lovely girl, dressed in a long sleeved blue gown.

"Hi." She said softly, smiling. "I'm Cora."

"I'm Ethan. Um, you probably already knew that." He said. Cora laughed softly. Ethan shuffled through the forms until he found hers. "You're a Three? In college?"

"Yes. Um, I'm in vet school, but I work as an assistant too." Cora said, biting her lip. They made eye contact for a brief moment, but Cora blushed and looked away.

"Sorry…I'm not very good at this." Ethan apologized.

"Me neither." She admitted.

"So, you're going to be a vet?"

"Yes. I love animals, so…" Cora bit her lip again, but her eyes looked bright from talking about her passion.

"That's good…." Ethan said. They sat there nearly a minute, neither of them saying anything.

"So, tell me about yourself." Ethan mustered up some courage.

"Um, well, I used to live in the German Federation. I moved here when I was five."

"Do you like it here?" Ethan asked. Cora nodded.

"I don't remember it much, but I like it here just fine. The only thing is the castes. It's hard to get used to."

"I imagine so." Ethan said, not knowing what else to say. "Um, well it was nice talking to you, but I have thirty four others, so I must cut this short. I look forward to talking to you soon, though."

"Thank you, your highness." Cora said, smiling. She stood up elegantly, and smoothed her gown. He smiled back, and Cora walked back to her seat. The other girls had stopped talking, and had their eyes riveted on her. Ethan stood up.

"Miss Juniella Alonzo?" He said. The thirty five pairs of eyes shifted from him to the girl standing up. Ethan sat back down, and waited for the brunette to make her way over to him. She wore a black and white polka dot dress, and seemed very nervous.

"Good morning." She said meekly.

"Good morning." Ethan responded. Juniella sat down, and Ethan found her form. She didn't say anything, so Ethan figured it would be up to him.

"uh, you're form indicates you're parent's own a restaurant?"

"Yes. I work there."

"Tell me about…" Ethan asked. This girl didn't seem to want to open up.

"Well, my mom was a Five, and she married my dad and opened a restaurant. We serve traditional Asian dishes. My mom is Asian, and my dad is Spanish."

"That's cool." Ethan said, figuring that's why she was so pretty. Juniella didn't say anything else.

"How are you liking the palace, Juniella?"

"It's nice…"

All attempts to talk to the shy girl failed, and she wouldn't even look at him, so Ethan cut their time short.

"It's been nice talking to you. You may go." He said. They both stood up, and Juniella walked back to her seat. Ethan looked at his list. "Miss Amber Autumns?" A vivacious looking redhead stood up, and Ethan sat down and waited for her to make her way over here. _Why do I feel like I'm conducting job interviews? One of these girls is going to be my wife…_

Amber sat down across from him, smoothing her silver silk gown. She smiled happily at him. Closer up, she was beautiful. Full, red-brown curls, long eyelashes, and amber colored eyes.

"Hello!" She chirped. Ethan smiled, relaxing slightly. He liked this girl already.

"Hi, Amber. I'm Ethan."

Amber giggled slightly. "I know." She said.

"Were you named for your eyes?" Ethan found himself asking, surprised at his boldness. Amber nodded, and moved her hair out of her eyes.

"I was." She said, looking happy he connected that.

"So, tell me about yourself?" Ethan asked, trying to be friendly.

"Like, the stuff everyone wants to hear? I'm a Two, I design clothes, and I'm from Dominica." Amber spoke with a hint of sassiness. "But what I'm really like? Well, I've always wanted to fall in love, I love to write and watch movies, and someday, I will stop being looked down on. I get bullied a lot."

For some reason, Ethan found that hard to believe? This girl seemed like everyone would want her as a friend.

"Why?" He blurted out. Amber shrugged casually.

"I don't know. It's mostly the kids at my school. Ever since kindergarten. I'm hoping I can start over here."

"Me too. If anyone is mean to you, come talk to me, okay?" Ethan said. Amber smiled again.

"Okay. I guess time's up, then. It was nice to finally meet you, Ethan." She said, getting to her feet. She waved, and walked back to her seat. Ethan looked at the next name, trying not to show a reaction that would set the girls in a tizzy. He liked Amber. He liked that she was strong. He liked that she saw him for Ethan, and not the prince.

"Miss Aurora Bande?" Ethan called out. He recognized the blonde when she stood up. He had seen her in several television shows. Her white and gold mermaid style gown was very stunning on her curvy figure. She smiled flirtatiously at him, and sat opposite from him, crossing her legs to show off her platform heels.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Prince Ethan." She seductively, peering up at him through her lashes. Ethan swallowed hard-this girl knew how to use her charms, all right.

"The pleasure's all mine, Lady Aurora."

"Oh, please, call me Rory. Everyone does."

"Okay." Ethan managed. She leaned forward, to adjust the hum of her gown, giving him a long look down her strapless dress.

"I'm sure you've heard of me?" Rory inquired. Ethan nodded. Rory smiled like she was on the red carpet.

"I'm not nearly as famous as you, though." She laid her hand on his knee, all but purring. Ethan's pulse jumped, and he swallowed again.

"Y-you're not a princess, though." As soon as he said it, he regretted it. Rory smiled again.

"Not yet, anyway." She said, twirling a strand of her straight blonde hair around her finger. Ethan cleared his throat. He needed to end this-now.

"I must admit we are out of time, Lady Rory." He said, practically jumping to his feet. She pouted, but stood up anyway. He didn't offer to help her, though. Her touch made him feel too lightheaded. "It was nice talking to you."

"You're not going to send me home, are you?" Rory asked innocently.

"No." Was all Ethan could say. What should he tell her, yes? He liked her, but she was deadly. Rory smiled again, and curtsied, leaning forward again so he could see down her bodice, before walking back to her seat with the other celebrities here. Ethan took a deep breath, trying to refocus on the task at hand.

"Miss Saskia Buchannan?" He inquired. A brunette flounced her way over to him, and plopped down in her seat.

"Ain't ya going ta kiss my hand or somethin'?" She drawled. Ethan complied, begrudgingly. She was a Six, after all.

"Lady Saskia, tell me about yourself." Ethan started.

"Well, I'm a Six, and I work fa this disgustin' ol' man docta as his secretary. He leaves me tips, though, lika waitress if I wear shorta skirts." Saskia said. Her voice was very loud, and all the girls were watching them. Ethan noticed she wore a skin tight black gown.

"What are you interested in?" Ethan asked, trying to keep his voice pleasant.

"Oh, ya know, the usual." Saskia didn't elaborate.

"Well, I'm afraid that's all the time have. It was lovely meeting you."

"Aw, that's all the time we have?" She whined.

"Yes, I'm afraid so." Ethan lied. Saksia stood up, and stalked back to her seat. Ethan sighed in relief. He had at least one to eliminate now.

"Miss Erica Carter?" He asked. A girl with curly brown hair approached. She wore a green ball gown, and cat eyeliner.

"Prince Ethan." She murmured, curtsying. She took her seat, giggling. Although she was a Six as well, she was much better behaved.

"Lady Erica." He said in turn. "It's nice to match a face with a name."

"Oh, believe me, I know!" Erica said.

"What do you do for a living?" Ethan asked pleasantly.

"I'm a maid. A Six." Erica said. She chatted a little about her mom's laundry business.

"Do you have any other family members?" He asked.

"My dad and my brother died in the military." Erica's bubbly voice suddenly became accusatory. She glared at him for a moment, before looking at her lap. Her voice lowered to barely above a whisper. "I'm sorry, but… I can't stay here. I know you're going to eliminate some girls after this. Maybe you could let me go home. I feel like I'm dishonoring my father and brother."

"I'm sorry." Ethan said dumbly. "I'm sure that can be arranged."

"Thank you." Erica said, getting up. She curtsied, and returned to her seat.

"Miss Dorianne Davenport?" Ethan announced after a moment. A slight girl stood up, and walked towards the meeting place. She wore a one shoulder dark mauve colored greek style gown. Her shoulder length dark hair was held back with a purple circlet, and only a little makeup. She walked carefully and unsteady-probably thanks to her high heels. She finally sat down, giving him a shaky smile.

"Prince Ethan, it is so great to be here." She said softly, her face shining with hope. "Thank you."

"Is there a particular reason?" He inquired.

"Yes. I'm glad to get away from home. My foster mother wasn't though. She was mad. But I don't ever have to see her again."

"Did she do anything to you?" Ethan was surprised at his sudden protectiveness of Dorianne.

"…no. She just…didn't take care of me much." Dorianne said. Ethan had the feeling she wasn't telling the whole truth.

"So you're a Four?"

"Yes, but we live like Sevens and Eights." Dorianne admitted. "Ever since my adopted dad died, my mom's an alcoholic."

"I'm so sorry." Ethan surprised himself by taking her small hand in his. Dorianne blushed pink, and smiled.

"It's all behind me now anyway." She said. She looked him, her eyes sparkling him hope. She was beautiful, even without much makeup. "Can I tell you something?" Dorianne whispered, leaning closer. Ethan nodded.

"' Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them.'" She said, before squeezing his hand and departing. The words sounded familiar, but Ethan could not place them. He shook off his stupor, and called the next girl over.

"Miss Melissa Dove?" He asked. A girl in a light blue ball gown made her way over to him, followed by the jealous eyes of the other girls. She sat down across from him, nervously smoothing her ombre dyed dark blonde hair.

"Hi!" She squeaked out. Contrary to Dorianne, her eyes held only a glimmer of hope, and she seemed somewhat disappointed. "Call me Lissa. Melissa's a bit of a mouthful."

"Alright, Lissa. It's nice to meet you face to face."

"Yes, it is." Lissa frowned slightly, and then seemed to notice it, and perked up. "So…?" She said questioningly.

"Right." Ethan said quickly. "So, you're a Seven?" Even though she was a lower caste than Saskia, she was very well mannered. Lissa's cheeks turned red, and she looked down, nodding slightly.

"Yes." She said, barely above a whisper. "I suppose you know what I do. I hate it, though. I just need the money."

"It's nothing to be ashamed of, Lissa. It's noble of you."

"Really?" Lissa perked up.

"Yes. Burlesque dancing is something you hate and something society judges you for, yet you do it, just to help your family. I admire you for that."

"I never thought of it that way." Lissa admitted, her gray eyes sparkling. "Thank you."

"Anytime." Ethan said, not knowing what else to say. They sat in silence, Lissa fidgeting with her skirt.

"I guess I should let the next girl have her turn." Lissa spoke offhandedly.

"Well, I look forward to speaking with you again."

"You're not sending me home?" Lissa asked. Ethan smiled, and shook his head.

"That would be a huge mistake, I think." He said. Lissa broke into a grin, and then turned pink. She curtsied, and scurried back to her seat. Ethan rose to call the next girl.

"Miss Elvira Entrinken." He announced, swallowing hard when he saw the intended. She looked terrifying. Dark, edgy makeup made her light gray eyes penetrate him, and made her look mean. Her avant garde dark purple gown was revealing, the sides cut out and the neckline low. The holes were covered with black gauze. The dark colors set off her pale skin. Elvira looked nothing like she did in her picture. Her short hair fell to her shoulders, and was wavy, pinned out of her eyes on one side. She raised her eyebrows, coming to a stop in front of him. Ethan realized he had been staring.

"Ahem…Lady Elvira." He said, bowing. She smiled slightly, and dropped a clumsy curtsey. Ethan motioned to the chair, and she sat. Ethan did likewise, and shuffled through his papers to find her form. He skimmed it, remembering she was in the army. "First of all, thank you for your service to our great country. And thank you for taking time off to participate."

"Well I didn't have much of a choice." She said bitterly. Ethan wondered with a sinking feeling if she was going to ask him to send her back. Even though she was edgy and different, there was something about her he couldn't put his finger on that attracted him.

"Your father is the German ambassador for Illea, correct?" Ethan asked politely.

"He is. He made me do all this." She flicked her wrist at the surrounding area, revealing black fingernail polish. "Sort of like redemption. You see, your older brother would probably know my sister, Gerda."

"Oh, yes." Ethan said, remembering. Gerda had been at the palace in Andrew's Selection until the final three, when she and Isabelle Chadwick had been booted, and Andrew had married Christine. Ethan had avoided his brother's 'girlfriends' at all cost, though. Still, he remembered Gerda from meals. Like Rory, she was slutty. She had even tried to make a move on Ethan one night on her way back to her room. He had ran in the other direction. Still, when around Andrew, she was silky and sweet.

"Well, he wanted her to come back, but she's too old. Besides, she lives in Spain with my mother. So he chose me. I made him a promise when I enlisted that I would sign up. I was hoping he would forget, though."

"So you are unhappy here?"

"…I mean, it could be worse. The food is great, everything is so fancy, and I'm a Two."

"I'm hoping you won't mind if I keep you for a while. I'd like to get to know you better." Ethan was surprised by his own boldness. "Maybe we could go on a date sometimes."

"Tell me it won't be a candlelight dinner or a stroll through the gardens." Elvira teased.

"We could go…" Ethan tried to think of something this girl would like to do. "Maybe swimming or something. We have an Olympic sized swimming pool."

"No! I mean…I'm sorry. Maybe we could go to a shooting range or something."

"That's sounds…fun." Ethan wondered why he hadn't thought of that. Maybe she intended to kill him or something.

"I promise I won't shoot you." Elvira seemed to read his mind.

"I promise I'll take you there." Ethan said, realizing he had spent longer with Elvira than any of the others. "But I need to get through the list."

"Right, sorry. I'll hold you to your promises." She said, rising.

"I'll hold you to yours." Ethan attempted a joke. Elvira smiled, at any rate, and went back to her seat. Ethan watched her go, realizing all the girls were shooting daggers at Elvira.

"Miss Lilly Gaston?" He called. A tiny girl with brown hair and a modest plain blue gown approached. She sat down and Ethan noticed she was trembling.

"Are you alright, Lady Lilly?"

"Yes." The girl whispered. Her mouth moved, but no sound came out. Ethan checked her form, seeing she was a Five and only fifteen.

"I see you're a Five." He motioned to the form. "Do you play any instruments?"

Lilly nodded, but said nothing.

"Which ones?" Ethan pressed, glad he wasn't as shy as Lilly.

"Cello. And flute." Lilly said. Well, he thought that's what she said. She was so quiet it was hard to hear. He tried to make further conversation with her, but she never looked at him, and nodded or shook her head and gave one word answers. After a couple painfully slow minutes, he said goodbye, and called the next girl.

"Miss Alana Harowski?" A girl with auburn hair strolled over to him wearing a clashing red dress.

"Good morning, your Highness." She sank into a deep curtsey.

"Ah, yes, um, good morning, Lady Alana."

"It's a good morning, now that I get to see you." Alana said cheekily. She sat in the chair, tossing her sausage roll curls. "I'm ever so glad to finally meet you."

"Uh, likewise." Ethan shifted in his seat.

"Your Highness, I so appreciate this opportunity. It is such an honor to finally meet you. Ever since I was a little girl, I dreamed about coming here to meet you. Now that I finally am, I know that I have made the right choice. Your Highness, I know we will grow old together. I can hardly wait for you to announce it." Alana said, her speech very well-rehearsed. Ethan lurched backwards in his chair.

"Wait, what? Slow down, slow down. Don't you think this is a little sudden?" He could feel his heart pounding with the shock. "We've hardly said ten words to each other!"

"Don't you like me?" Alana pressed.

"I hardly know you!" Ethan's voice was increasing in volume, but this girl had caught him by surprise. "I'm sorry, I'm going to have to cut our meeting short. I have a lot of other girls to meet." He said, standing quickly. Alana copied him, leaning in close.

"I love you." She whispered, suddenly inches from his face. Ethan practically leaped backwards.

Ethan felt his face turn hot. "Excuse me, Lady Alana. You may be seated." She waved at him, and skipped merrily back to her seat. Ethan sat down, his heart racing. That was almost scary. He was more afraid of Alana than Elvira now. He knew he couldn't live with that overbearing red-head around.

After calming down, he called the next girl. "Miss Brynlee Harris?" He scanned the room, trying to pick out who it would be. A girl with what could only be described as a tangle of blonde curls, in a simple yet elegant light blue dress. She greeted him with a small smile, and sat down across from him.

"Prince Ethan, it is a pleasure to meet you." She said in quiet voice.

"The pleasure is all mine, Lady Brynlee."

"Please, call me just Bryn. All that lady stuff scares me. I can still hardly believe I'm here!" Bryn spoke softly, making Ethan even more intrigued to listen to her lovely voice. _She must be a Five. _He mused, sneaking a glance at her form. _Yep. _

"Well, I'm very glad you are." Ethan told her. "Are you finding everything to your liking?"

"Oh, yes! The food is heavenly, and my maids are so nice, and I've never had such pretty things to wear!" Bryn's smile grew. "And the instruments in my room! I've never seen such a beautiful piano!"

"What area do you work in, as a Five?" Ethan inquired.

"I play the piano, sometimes I sing too, at parties or in orchestras at plays and concerts." Bryn was clearly passionate about the subject. She told Ethan a few stories about where she had played, but he was mesmerized by her voice, and found himself paying less attention to her words and more to her voice. Plus, he was trying to figure out if her eyes were blue or gray. After a while, he realized he probably should move onto the next girl.

"I enjoyed talking to you, Bryn." He said. She dimpled, and nodded.

"I did too. Well, talking to you, not to me…yeah." She finished, flushing at her stumble over words. They both stood up, and Bryn headed back to her seat. Ethan looked at his list. He still had twenty three to go.

"Miss Taylor Hollister?"

A girl with dark brown waves and a purple gown appeared to be Taylor. She, unlike all the others, didn't look happy.

"Your highness." She murmured, curtseying.

"Lady Taylor." Ethan responded. They both sat down. Wow, she was gorgeous.

"Tell me about yourself, Lady Taylor?"

"I'm a Seven from Sota." She said automatically. "I work as a professional escort. Albeit begrudgingly."

"What would you rather be doing?"

"Not dangling of the appendage of some haughty, opulent male with a slit in my dress all the way to here." She indicated by karate-chopping her thing with her hand, just below her hip bone. "I want to put my mind to use." Taylor finished with a scowl. Ethan looked down at her form, surprised to see she knew eleven languages.

"It says on your form you know eleven languages, but-"

Taylor finished his sentence. "I'm a Seven? Yeah, well. I only work on weekends, and if we want to pretend to be dates for Twos, we better act like it." She crossed her arms, and looked sideways. Even though she was hostile, Ethan didn't want to send her home just yet. She was too…something. She challenged him, and he liked it. She didn't say anything else.

"Well, Lady Taylor-"

"Could you please not call me that?" She spat.

"Um, okay. Miss Hollister, I-"

"Or that?" Taylor demanded. "Just Taylor, please?"

"Okay, Taylor. Would you mind terribly if I didn't send you home just yet?"

"I don't exactly have say in it, do I, _Prince _Ethan." She said bitterly. She sighed heavily, and whispered something to herself. "'C'était beaucoup et beaucoup il ya un an. Dans un royaume de la mer'". She spoke in French. She sighed again, and stood up and curtsied. Ethan replayed her words in his head. Something about many years ago in a kingdom by the sea. He had no idea what that meant. He decided to call the next girl anyway.

"Miss Autumn Hunter?"

A girl with short, layered blonde hair and a dark blue dress stood up from her seat next to one of the twin girls, and walked towards him. "Prince Ethan, hello." She said, still a few feet away from him. "I'm Autumn, a Six, yes. Province, Paloma. I'm a maid." She said, all before sitting down. She was very blunt and to the point, apparently. "I used to be a Two, but, well, I ran away."

"It's nice to meet you." Ethan said, still trying to absorb all she had said.

"Yes, it is. What are you wanting to talk about?"

"Um, just to get a little feel for your personality."

"And you're going to eliminate some of us when you're through, right?" Autumn guessed.

"Well…yes. Thirty five is a lot."

"I guess it's useless to try to beg you not to send me home. I could pretend to be sweet as sugar, or show off my attributes to the point of a whore, but I don't know what you like, see?" Autumn said it all with a straight face, but he could tell she was being sarcastic. "You could like loud and rude, like Mackenzie. Or scary and silent, like Elvira. Or maybe boring and shy like Lilly. Or even someone like Saskia."

"I assure you, I do not like Saskia." Ethan admitted. "And I won't be sending you home. But I still have twenty one others to speak to."

"Alright. I look forward to speaking with you again." Autumn stood up, and curtsied.

"Me too." Ethan told her. She walked back to her seat.

Ethan called the next girl. "Miss Audra Jepson?" The girl who approached him surprised him. Other than Lissa and Taylor, she was the only other Seven. Where Lissa had been sweet and Taylor intriguing, he immediately didn't like Audra. She wasn't very pretty, and she was a Seven. Surely they could have gotten someone else from Lakedon. She sat down with intentional grace, spreading the hem of her silver metallic gown. Her picture on her form showed a brunette, but her hair was red now.

"He-ey!" She said cheesily. "I'm so-o glad to finally meet you!"

"Um, yeah. Likewise."

"Most people look down on my 'cause I'm a Seven, but you won't, will you? You'll look past all that, right? Yes, I work in a nightclub, and yes, I'm an entertainer, but so is that Lissa girl. I just know we can make it work together, baby."

"Oh…um…thank you?" Ethan felt his ears heat up and knew they were turning red. They always did that when he was embarrassed. "Unfortunately, we're out of time. It was nice to meet you."

"Baby, you exceeded my wildest dreams." Audra attempted to be seductive, but it didn't work. She strutted back to her chair, throwing him a smile over her shoulder. Ethan mentally shook himself. No way.

He checked Audra's name of the list, and drew a line through it. She, along with Saskia, Alana, and Erica definitely had to go. He looked at the next name on the list.

"Miss Ruby Larson?" He inquired. Another redhead stood up and came towards him. Like Lilly, she was small, and apparently only fifteen. Her new haircut framed her round face, making her face look wider. Her eyes glittered, and she wore a smug smile. She sat down, dressed in a magenta ball gown, dwarfing her tiny frame and jarring with her hair.

"Hi." She greeted him, obviously star-struck.

"Hello, Lady Ruby."

"Can you call me Jewel? Everyone does." She requested. Ethan highly doubted her statement, though.

"Um, I'll just call you by your given name, if that's alright. I already have to memorize thirty five names, and I don't want to make it thirty six." He told her. Her face fell slightly, and her fist tightened around a piece of paper in her hand.

Ethan cleared his throat. "Tell me about yourself, Lady Ruby."

Ruby unfolded the paper, and read aloud from it. "I am Ruby Alania Larson, but everyone calls me Jewel. I am a Five, from Likely. I play the cello. I am graceful but accident prone. I am kind, honest, observing, and intelligent." She finished reading, and smiled up at him. Ethan suppressed a smirk. No way.

"Thank you, Lady Ruby. You may go."

"Thank _you, _your Highness." She said, before leaving. Ethan crossed off her name too. Who was graceful _and _accident prone? And who the heck went by Jewel, even if their name was Ruby? He shook his head, more than ready to call the next girl.

"Miss Alexina Lee?"

A New Asian girl in a pale pink gown with a large bow around the waist got up, and walked towards Ethan. She sat down, folding her hands in her lap, and avoiding eye contact.

"Lady Alexina, it is nice to see you face to face." Ethan said automatically. She raised her dark eyes to his for a half a second, and then looked away, her eyes glassy.

"Thank you, your highness." She said, barely above a whisper.

"Tell me about yourself, Lady Alexina." Ethan prompted. She cleared her throat.

"I'm a writer, which makes me a Three. I live in Ottaro. And I'm in love with someone else." She looked at him, her eyes full of pain. "I'm sorry. I can't just forget about him. I know it's probably against the rules, but I just can't."

"Would you like to go home?" Ethan asked gently. Alexina nodded, looking miserable. Ethan patted her knee awkwardly. "Then you can. If you don't want to be here, I don't want to force you."

"Thank you." Alexina said, wiping at tears, which left make up streaks on her cheeks. She gave him a hopeful smile, and stood, dipping down in a curtsey. Ethan was glad someone else was making the choice for him. He crossed Alexina off the list, and moved on to the next girl.

"Miss Summer Leean?" He called. A petite girl with caramel colored curls and a braided headband approached him, dressed in a coral gown. He remembered this was the girl with epilepsy.

"Prince Ethan, I have a request to make." She said, barely after sitting down.

"Yes, Lady Summer?"

"I'm so sorry. I can't do this. This has already been the chance of a life time, but I just can't."

"Are you in love with someone else?"

"No, not that. I just…I have epilepsy. I don't want to be here. I want to be with my family." Summer attempted a smile.

"Are you sure?" Ethan asked. She was also a Five, so medical treatment must be expensive.

"Yes. I knew it as soon as I entered. I made myself realize it last night. I can't even explain it. I'm so sorry."

"Lady Summer, don't apologize." Ethan smiled at her, and took her hand. "You don't know how easy you made my job. I'll make sure you keep receiving your compensation to pay for medical treatment." He said. Summer beamed, and squeezed his hand.

"Thank you, Prince Ethan!" She cried. "You don't know how happy you've made me!" They stood, and she gave a quick one armed hug. She smiled brightly, and walked lightly to her seat. Ethan smiled, feeling relieved. He crossed her name off the list, and his excitement grew when he saw who was next.

"Miss Gracelyn Luna?" He announced. He heard an excited squeal, and Gracelyn stood up, resplendent in her lavender ball gown. Her face was flushed and she beamed. She began to walk forward. Just before she reached the chair, she stopped, her smile growing. Ethan took her hand and kissed it.

"Lady Gracelyn, it is a pleasure to meet you." He said. She giggled slightly, and then pitched forward into his arms in a faint. Ethan grunted, and caught her, laying her gently on the ground. All the girls gasped, and Sophia ran forward like a chicken with her head cut off. Ethan couldn't help but grin. He knew Gracelyn was fine. _I guess I just have that effect on women! _

…

Zanzibaby **inspired this moment with Gracie! A huge thanks to her for all her support! Make sure to check out her story, "Equestrian Selection"; **theYAfangirl17**'s story "Selecting a Wild Heart", and **majestictales**'s "Not a Fairytale". They are all SYOC Selection stories!**

**Also, don't forget to review! You can tell who or what you didn't like, who or what you like, whatever! I just like hearing from ya'll! Next chapter will be part two of the interviews, so no worries about your character! Actually worry, because I'll be eliminating some too. **

**Have an awesome rest of the weekend! **

**-Shades **

Summer Leeann, 5, musician (minor character)

Graclyn Luna,


	20. Testing-Interveiws Part Two

**If you think these are tedious to read, try writing them! Anyway, here is part two of the interviews. If you're wondering about the order, it's alphabetically by last name. These characters are a bit more familiar than the last bunch, so it should be slightly more interesting, although not to say the others aren't! I would love to go more in detail to what the girls wear, but it's Ethan's POV, and boys don't notice that stuff!**

**If you review, I'll love you forever. I already love these guys forever: **zanzibaby, mnbvcx-xx, TheGirlWithTheRainbowTattoo, Fairy not princess, theYAfangirl17, 4Love4Love4, delovlies, Alexina's creator/Guest, Demigod-Gallagher-Selected, EruditeAbnegationMockinjay

**Also, this chapter is obscenely long…sorry!**

…

After Gracie had fainted, two guards had carried her out, presumably to her room. Sophia assured everyone it was just because of the excitement, and that she was fine. The interviews would continue as scheduled. Ethan tried to hide his disappointment, since he had been really looking forward to meeting Gracie. Nevertheless, the show must go on…or whatever.

"Miss Sirena Mastrano." He announced.

A redhead bombshell in a fitted golden gown strutted over to him. She wore tons of makeup, but it was tastefully applied. Her curled red locks spilled over her shoulders, and she was very, very beautiful. Ethan glanced at her form. He wasn't surprised she was a model. As she sat down across from him, she offered a friendly smile, but even under all the makeup, he noticed her eyes were red, and she looked slightly disheveled. He recalled on the Report last night that Taren said she was sick.

"Lady Sirena, I trust you are feeling better?" Ethan asked. Sirena smiled slightly.

"Yes, much better. Thank you." Sirena smiled gracefully, and crossed her ankles demurely.

"So you're a Two?" Ethan already knew the answer, but he was attempting to make conversation.

"Yes. I'm a model, but I also play volleyball for the Midston University."

"How old are you?" Again, he knew the answer.

"Nineteen. I'll be turning twenty in a few months, though."

"Are you enjoying yourself so far?" Ethan asked. For the first time, Sirena didn't have an answer. She sucked in a breath, and opened her mouth, but didn't say anything. Finally, she put on a pleasant smile.

"Yes. I love getting to meet everyone." She said sweetly. Ethan realized there was more to this girl than what met the eye.

"Well, I've enjoyed talking to you." He said, getting to his feet, and offering her his hand. She gathered her long legs under her, and stood too, refusing his hand.

"Me too." She said, smiling her radiant smile. "It was a pleasure." She curtsied, and walked away. Ethan watched her go. There was something mysterious about her, and he wanted to get to the bottom of it. She seemed like a strong young woman, the kind who didn't need a man, a polite beauty, but something went deeper than that. Somewhat regretfully, he called the next girl.

"Miss Elly Olsen."

He recognized the girl from the photo. Then, either her spray tan or hair dye had been messed up, with olive skin and blonde hair. They both had been balanced out now, and she was considerably prettier, although she was a little plain. She was tiny, lithe and willowy. She wore a sparkly light pink gown, and low heeled light pink flats. She walked with all the grace of a dancer. She sat down across from him, possessing all the grace of a ballerina.

"Hello." She said politely. "It is an honor to be here."

"It is an honor to have you here." Ethan said, in turn. "Tell me about yourself."

"I'm a professional ballerina, of the Company of Bonita. I'm not yet a principal, but I am a prevalent soloist. I understudied for Victoria in "The Red Shoes", and I most recently portrayed Wendy in "Peter Pan".

Elly went on to tell him about things he didn't really care about, like who she was in what production, and how her splits were and something about a straight scorpion. Ethan listened politely, but he wasn't too interested in Elly. She was consumed by ballet. She was sweet, but, well, boring.

"I'm afraid that's all the time we have, Lady Elly. You may take your seat." He said. Elly got up and curtsied. Her heels echoed on the marble flooring as Ethan pondered the list. He just hadn't connected with her.

"Miss Katherine Page?" He called. Unlike Elly, when he had first seen Katherine's picture, Ethan _had _felt a connection with her. She had set herself apart by wearing white, and she looked like an angel walking towards him. He tried to suppress his smile, so he wouldn't give away his intentions to the others. But he couldn't hide the slight smile. She was so…lovely. Her white gown floated around her, and her dark hair was caught up in a loose bun. She bit her lip, and curtsied, her cheeks tinging pink.

"It is an honor, your highness." She whispered, before sitting down. Ethan felt his dumb ears heat up again, and tried to make his hair cover them, but it was too short.

"Lady Katherine, I've been looking forward to meeting you." Ethan said. Katherine's cheeks flushed from light pink to dark pink. She looked how, fiddling with the tiny pearls on her gown. After a moment, she spoke.

"Really? Or have you said that to every other girl who has come by?" She bit her lip again, her face now red. Wow. That caught Ethan by surprise. He didn't expect that from this sweet, innocent looking girl. Still, her blush told him she wasn't thrilled with her choice of words, but still had to know the truth.

"Um, no. I mean, I've greeted them all nicely, but seriously, I've been looking forward to meeting you." Ethan felt his face copy Katherine's and heat up. He awkwardly cleared his throat. "You see, you caught my attention when I first saw you."

"Oh." Katherine said, slightly surprised. She laughed a little, a musical sound. Ethan couldn't wait to hear it again. "Sorry about that, then. I just don't like people who are shallow." She looked over at the chattering girls. A few had their eyes glued to the action. "Alana Harowski acted as sweet as pie to me and Elvira yesterday at dinner, but after you talked to Elvira so long, she started saying all these mean things, and she wouldn't stop."

"Really? She's mean?" Ethan was surprised. She had seemed…okay. Just a little…insane?

"Yeah, you couldn't tell though could you?"

"No, she was too busy trying to kiss me." Ethan said seriously. Katherine laughed loudly, before clapping her hand over her mouth at Sophia's glare.

"Sorry." She said. Ethan shrugged.

"She's going home anyway. I don't know where she got all her ideas about her and me." He felt himself relaxing more around Katherine. Her reference about pie, though, jarred him back to the task at hand. "So, what do you do? For a living, you know."

Kathrine giggled a little. "I'm a Four, and my parent's own a bakery. We don't usually do a lot of cake and stuff, more like specialty breads and muffins and things." She fingered a small songbird charm on her bracelet. "I could care less about baking, though. I love music. But, I'm not a Five, and ever since my sister-" She stopped suddenly. "Well, I'm expected to take on the family business, but now that I'm a Three, I don't know."

Ethan wondered about her sister, and why she had stopped so abruptly. He glanced at his watch, and realized he had spent much to long with Katherine. _Darn. _

"Well, Lady Kathrine, I fear our time is up. I have enjoyed talking to you. Maybe we could do it again some time." He said. Katherine did that cute giggle again.

"I'd like that." She said, standing up. She threw him a smile over her shoulder, and headed back to her seat. Ethan caught himself sighing. _Oh well. No rest for the weary. _He looked at the next name on his list.

"Miss Mackenzie Parker." He announced. He knew who she was. Everyone did, even if they lived in a cave. Well, maybe not, but still. The host of the Angeles News stood up. She smiled fakily at Katherine as Katherine passed her, and gave her celebrity friends-Rory and Cordelia- a smug smile, before propping one hand on her hip, and walking towards him. Unlike Sirena's walk, Mackenzie's was intentionally seductive. She tossed her silky strawberry blonde tresses over her shoulder, and gave Ethan a sexy smirk. She curtsied to him, making sure he got a good look at the slit in her dress. It was red, of course, and fitted to her thighs before flaring out, like a trumpet. It was strapless, and her breasts were barely covered enough. Mackenzie sat down, and sucked in a breath, making her 'neckline' inch further down. Ethan could help but notice her leg, in the shadows of the slit up the side. He was only human. He felt his blood go hot. He wasn't immune to these things even if he was a prince.

"Lady Mackenzie." He said, feeling his heart rate pick up. "It's nice to meet you."

"Oh, I assure you, the pleasure is all mine. Is Lady Gracelyn alright?" She tried to look concerned, but the haughty gleam in her eyes told him otherwise.

"Um, I believe so." He told her, feeling oddly protective of her.

"Oh good. I was so worried about her."

Ethan was pretty sure she wasn't.

"So, Lady Mackenzie, you're a Two?"

"Yes, I'm the host of Angeles News. Surely you've heard of me?"

"Um, yes." Ethan said. Wow, way to blunder around a hot girl. His father had specifically told him not to eliminate any Twos yet, and he was already going to get hell for Elly. Also, Wesley and Andrew would kill him for eliminating Mackenzie.

"Good. You'd be surprised, but some people haven't. _Everyone _has heard of _you, _though." She leaned forward slightly in her chair, showing off her attributes even more. "I'm so glad I finally have gotten to meet you."

"Yes, me too." He said, attempting a smile. Her nearness was intoxicating. "But I'm afraid I have twelve more girls to talk to and you are all probably very hungry."

"Whoever thinks about food at a time like this is an idiot." She breathed. "But very well. I hope to see you again later." She smiled suggestively, and stood up, before strutting back to her chair, her hips swaying. Ethan cleared his throat, and wished he had something to drink. He decided not to dwell on it, and call the next girl over.

"Miss Hana Piper?" He inquired. A tall, willowy brunette dressed in a lavender ball gown stood up, and began walking confidently towards him. Right before she reached the chair across from him, though, she tripped over high heels, and stumbled to the ground, half catching herself on the chair. Immediately, Ethan heard the sound of laughter. He reached down to help Hana, briefly glancing over to catch Alana, Audra, and Saskia doubled over in laughter. Yep, that settled it. Hana looked up at him, blushing furiously. She blinked quickly, and he took her hand and helped her to her feet.

"I'm so sorry, your highness." She said, her voice now shaky and her earlier confidence gone.

"Don't apologize, you did nothing wrong." Ethan tried to comfort her, but he couldn't find the right words to say. Hana smoothed her hair back into place.

"I'm just so clumsy." She said miserably, blinking back tears.

"Don't worry about it, Lady Hana." Ethan said, patting her knee in an attempt to comfort her.

"Can you just call me Hana? All the lady stuff makes me feel weird."

"Only if you agree to call me just Ethan. I may be a prince, but sometimes it's nice just to feel normal, for once." Ethan found himself opening up more around girls who were upset.

"Okay…Ethan." Hana cracked a small smile. "What do you talk about over here? None of the girls near me would talk about it."

"Um, mostly just try to get a feel for you guys."

"Okay. Well, my name's Hana…wait you knew that…I'm 18, and I'm a Three. My mom owns a chain of cafés centered in Belcourt, but we're expanding. I work there."

"Why did you sign up?" Ethan asked, He hadn't asked any of them yet, and he wished he had.

"My best friend Diana wanted to. I never thought I would be chosen over her, but I was. The minute I was, though, she hated me…"

"So you don't want to be here?"

"No, I do, I mean, yes I do, but at first I didn't." Hana blushed again at her tripping over words. "Sorry."

"It's quite alright." Ethan said. "I've enjoyed talking to you, and I look forward to talking with you again."

"Oh, yeah. Me too." Hana blushed, and stood up, executing a careful curtsey, and walking carefully back to her seat. Ethan looked at the next girl on the list. The twins were next. He was terribly worried he would mix them up, or they would mix him up. He looked over to where they were sitting, right next to each other. One of them had dyed her hair lighter, so that was good. Still, the one with lighter hair wore light pink, and the one with darker hair wore pink and black. He still didn't know who was Nicole or Natalia, though. _I guess it's time to find out, then. _

"Miss Natalia Rosalyn." He announced. The girl with darker hair dressed in stood up, darting a quick glance at her sister, who gave her a reassuring smile. Natalia made her way through the maze of couches, chairs and tables dominating the room, and sat down across from him, rearranging her skirt.

"Good morning, your highness."

"Good morning, Lady Natalia. You are Natalia, right?"

"Yes, of course. But please, call me Nat. You wouldn't think we would dare to switch places, would you?" Nat's eyes took on a mischievous gleam as she pretended to be shocked. Ethan smiled a little.

"Not in front of a prince, no." Ethan found himself teasing her back, and was surprised at his boldness. "So, I'm a prince for a living. What about you?" He had meant to be funny, but it came out sounding stupid and snobbish.

"I'm a Four. I live in an apartment in the capital of Kent, but I work on a big farm on the outside."

"What do you do there?"

"The farm? Well, it mostly grows corn and wheat, but the owner also breeds Thoroughbreds, and I'm an exercise rider."

"So you ride?" Ethan perked up a little.

"No, I'm just an exercise rider." Nat said sarcastically, grinning. "Of course."

"Maybe we could go riding some time."

"That would be fun. I miss the horses I ride dearly. Do you race them?"

"What do you mean?"

"Do you ever race against someone else?" Nat pressed, her eyes sparkling.

"Well, yeah. My brothers."

"I probably shouldn't be telling you this, but I used to ride in races."

"But you're a Four." Ethan pointed out. _Wow, way to state the obvious. _

"I know." Nat giggled. "I'm done, though, so you don't have to arrest me or whatever." She smirked.

"What happened? Did you fall off?"

"Um, no. The guy who drove me there and got me it…it's a long story."

"Well, you'll have to tell me when we go riding. But now I must talk to your sister and see which one of you I like better." Ethan joked. Nat laughed, and stood up.

"It's no contest!" She said as she turned to leave. Ethan smiled as she left. She was nice. He didn't feel like he did around Katherine, but more like his sister Michelle. Maybe he and Nat could be friends. He made a check mark by her name, noticing he only had ten more to go.

"Miss Nicole Rosalyn." He summoned forth the lighter haired twin. She wore significantly more makeup than her sister, but it made them easier to tell apart. She sat down across from him, smiling nervously.

"It is truly an honor to be here, your highness." She said softly.

"An honor to have you here. Do you like being with your sister?"

"Oh, yes. It makes it so much fun. Plus, I already had a friend." Nicole looked up just long enough to make eye contact, before a blush crept over her cheeks.

"So, do you work on a farm too?"

"No, a clothing factory, with my mom." Nicole fidgeted with her ruffled skirt.

"So why did you enter?" He asked her. Nicole looked nervous, and she seemed trying to think of an appropriate answer.

"Um…well, I thought I would be a good opportunity…and Nat wanted me to go with her, and she convinced me too." Nicole finished quickly, and looked away.

"Is it just you and Nat at home, then?"

"No, we have an older brother and two younger sisters." Nicole told him. Ethan waited for her to say more, since she wasn't being very elaborate on her answers.

"So, what do you like to do?"

"Um… I don't really like to work. It's too noisy and chaotic. I like to…I like to dance when I can." She finished the words off quickly and in a whisper.

"Oh. That's cool." Ethan didn't really know what else to say. Pair two quiet people together, and you get a lot of awkward silences.

"Well, my time's probably up now." Nicole said after a moment. "I've enjoyed talking with you, though."

"Yes…it was nice." Ethan stood as she did. She gave a quick, graceful curtsey, and walked back to her seat, not turning to look back. She was nice, and he liked her enough to keep her around for a while. He sighed, seeing he still had several girls to speak with. There were so many of them!

"Miss Ava Rotham?" He inquired. A girl in light pink, with her hair obviously dyed cinnamon stood up. Like Audra, she wasn't very pretty, and she was only a Four.

"Prince Ethan, hi." She said, sitting down without bothering to curtsey. She checked a little piece of paper in her hand, and seemed to focus on the task at hand. "I'm Ava."

"Hi, Ava. Lovely to meet you. I'm Ethan."

"You're not just Ethan. You're _Prince _Ethan." Ava corrected in a nagging voice. She tossed her hair.

"Oh. Yes…sorry?" Ethan wasn't used to people like this. Ava gave him a confident smile.

"Should I tell you about myself?"

"Um…sure."

"My name is Ava, I am a Four. I work in a factory, but I aspire to become a professional athlete."

"How do you propose to do that?" Ethan asked her.

"Well, I'm a Three now. I figure if I make it into the Elite, I'll be good."

"Oh. Okay." Ethan felt somewhat bewildered by her words. "Um, it was good to meet you."

"Oh, yeah. You too." Ava gave him a confident smile, and left. Ethan wrinkled his brow. _Might as well move on. _

"Miss Erin Rusk?" He announced. A handsome girl with rich dark skin, looking very uncomfortable in a simple black dress stood up. She approached Ethan, stumbling over the hem of her gown. She executed a somewhat awkward curtsey, and sat down.

"Hey…um, your highness." She said, slightly awkwardly.

"Hello, Lady Erin."

"Actually, could you _not _call me that? I'm not a lady."

"It's sort of a title, but sure."

"Are you like this to everyone? Doesn't it get annoying to be called Prince all the time?" Erin tucked back a strand of hair into her pinned up hair.

"Um, not really."

"Well, I hate being called Lady Erin, so please make a note or something." She shook her head. "Sorry."

"Um, that's fine. I want to start off thanking you for your service in the Illean Military Academy."

"You're welcome. It's a lot different here."

"I can imagine."

"Back home, my best friend and I were tight. But now that we're competing, since I used to live in Carolina before being stationed in Labrador, she hates my guts or something." Erin fussed her hair again, blinking at the thick stripe of liquid black eye shadow on her eyelid. Ethan briefly remembered Erin getting a scolding by Amelia on the Report last night.

"Amelia?"

"Yup. I sure hate drama, though."

"Yes, well I'm afraid that's all the time we have left."

"Okay…um, thank you." Erin didn't really seem to know what to say. She got up, and went calmly back to her seat. Ethan counted down the list. Seven left.

"Miss Tatiana Sarvex?"

A light red head in a pink dress stood up, grinning broadly. She sunk into a quick curtsey, and then took her seat.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Prince Ethan."

"Yes, it's a pleasure to meet you, Lady Tatiana." Ethan said. "Tell me about yourself."

"Well, I'm a Three. I'm studying history, primarily, but I'm still in high school. I help tutor kids. I also have a huge family."

"Tell me a little about them."

"Well, we're all girls. There's my older sister Tia, she's married; then Lolita and Loreli, the twins. Lolita's engaged, but Lora's not. Then there's me, and then my little sister Selah."

"That sounds fun. Are you guys close?"

"Yeah. I'm pretty close to all of them."

"So, why did you sign up?"

"Um, well…" Tatiana's cheeks turned pink. "I wanted to see if you really were all that your cracked up to be."

"And?"

"Well, I expected stuck up, and you're pretty nice, but I hardly know you."

"Well, hopefully we can remedy that soon, Lady Tatiana. But not right now. I have six girls left, and I'm sure you all are probably starving."

"Now that you mention it, and I'm not so nervous anymore, I am!" Tatiana said, standing. She gave him a cute little wave and left. Ethan smiled after her. She was very friendly, and made him feel at ease.

"Miss Meagan Stewart?" He called. A petite blonde in a dark teal ball gown with her hair up in a French twist stood up, her deadpan face saying "who me?" She walked with a bounce in her step towards him, and bobbed her knees in a quick curtsey before sitting down, and crossing her knees.

"Lady Meagan, a pleasure to meet you." Ethan said.

Meagan smiled brightly. "Thank you, Prince Ethan. I'm overjoyed to be here." She spoke with slightly loud voice.

"Are you enjoying your stay here at the palace so far?"

"Yes! It's so much fun here! I'm only a Six, so I never have ever worn such beautiful things and eaten such wonderful food. I feel like…well, a princess!" She spoke her words with infectious happiness. "Does it ever get boring for you?"

Ethan was caught off guard by the question. "Um, well it's all I've ever known. I think it would be interesting to see how the rest of the world lives, though. I get sort of bored here, and I feel spoiled rotten."

"Well I think you could be a lot worse. You seem pretty polite to me…well, you are a prince." Megan pointed out.

"Oh, um…thank you?"

"It's true!" Even though she was complementing him, Ethan didn't feel like she was sucking up to him. She fiddled with her earring. "So am I supposed to tell you about myself now?"

"Yeah, go ahead."

"Okay, well I'm a Six, and I'm a seamstress. I used to be a Five, but my parents died in a car accident when I was twelve. I was adopted by my aunt and uncle, but they were Sixes. I don't mind though."

"So why did you sign up?"

"Oh, well, mostly for the money, I guess." Meagan looked down, twisting her hands in the fabric of her dress. "My family really needs it. But now that I'm here, I hope I get to stay a while." Meagan admitted, blushing.

"That's nothing to be ashamed off…well, I've enjoyed talking to you." Ethan told her. "But I'm sure you all are eager for breakfast."

"Maybe a little." Meagan said, smiling. Her stomach growled loudly. They laughed, and Meagan stood and curtsied. "Good luck with the others!" She told him, before returning excitedly to her seat. Ethan sighed, and mentally checked her name off the list. Five more.

"Miss Adele Warren." He announced, feeling a rumble of hunger of his own. _Better make these girls quick. _Adele stood up, dressed in a sky blue dress. It showed off her…attributes very nicely. Ethan felt his ears heat up. Why did girls always do this to him? Adele was skinny and a little short. She wore her short blonde streaked hair in curls, and bright red lipstick. She smiled flirtatiously at him after curtseying, and sat across from him.

"Good morning, your highness." She said sweetly.

"Good morning, Lady Adele."

"It definitely is." Her smiled grew. "So, um, what do I say?"

"Just tell me a little about yourself."

"Okay, well I'm a Five, and I act in live theatre. I'm usually just a featured dancer or one liner. I love movies, too." Her voice trailed off, and she bit her lip coquettishly. "What else?"

"Just out of curiosity, why did you sign up?"

"Well, you probably wouldn't think this…but I have these dreams. They're kind of dumb, but I've always wanted to be a princess. Plus, the money and everything. And just for fun."

"It's not dumb. Ask most any girl in here, and they'll say something like that, I'm sure."

Adele looked up, biting her lip again. "Really?"

"Yeah."

"So what else do you want to talk about?"

Ethan though about it. He was somewhat absorbed by her red lips, though. "Have you ever kissed someone?" He blurted out, before thinking. He immediately felt his ears go hot.

"Stage kiss, but those don't count, so now. Why, do all non virgin kissers get kicked out?" She attempted to joke, but Ethan was too embarrassed to laugh.

"No, sorry. That was a personal question. Um, it's been nice speaking to you. Thank you."

"Oh, sure. Anytime." Adele stood up, and curtsied again, before walking elegantly back to her seat.

Ethan waited for his embarrassment to go away before calling up the next girl. "Miss Felicity Weaver."

The girl sitting next to Adele stood, wearing a delicate ivory gown. Her auburn hair was braided in tiny braids that kept her hair out of her eyes. She smiled nervously, and scurried over, curtseying quickly and sitting down.

"Good morning." She said softly, her ever-present smile never fading.

"Good morning, Lady Felicity. I heard you know Adele last night on the Report."

"Oh, yes! We tour together in the same acting troupe. We're from different provinces, though."

"So you're a live theatre actress too, then?" He asked.

Felicity nodded eagerly. "Mm-hmm. I love it. I couldn't imagine doing anything else!"

"Is there any particular reason you signed up?"

"Well, Adele and I are hopeless romantics, and why not, you know? So what about you? What do you do? I mean, besides being the prince and stuff…" She trailed off, giggling nervously.

Ethan was surprised. None of the girls, barring Meagan, had asked him about himself. "Well…I like riding…and this Selection is way too much."

"Like horseback riding? I've never been."

"Yeah…horseback riding. I like hunting too, even though my mom won't let me kill anything real. My brothers and I just go to the shooting range in the woods."

Felicity laughed. "Well, I guess all moms are the same, whether you're a prince or a Five."

Ethan relaxed a little. Felicity was very nice, and she was fun to be around. Still, if he didn't finish the interviews soon, he was going to die of starvation. He said goodbye to Felicity, and called the next girl.

"Miss Cordelia Whitney." Cordelia was about average height, and had a rounded face, giving her a somewhat girlish appearance. She wore a dark red ball gown, and had her dark brown hair swept upward. She curtsied, and sat down, quiet.

"Hello, Lady Cordelia. You look very lovely."

"Hello." Cordelia said, smiling a little, her eyes sparkling. She obviously enjoyed the compliment.

"How do you like the palace?"

"It's not so different from my own home."

"Oh, right. You're a Two."

"Yes, surely, you've heard of me!" Cordelia's lower lip pouted.

"Um, yes. I've never seen your movies though. They're all sort of chick flicks…"

"True. I don't blame you. Isabella Hamilton ruined _Deep River, _and Jackie Marion gave _Under the Sea _such a bad rap."

"Oh. I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault." Cordelia said. "So, what do we talk about?"

"Actually, I'll just ask you a few questions. How old are you?"

"Eighteen. Most people think I'm younger, but I never get older roles."

"I'm sorry to hear that. Listen, I've enjoyed talking to you, but I'm afraid we're out of time."

"That's alright. See you later." She stood up, and walked away, not saying anything else. Ethan didn't care much for her, but he cared even less for Elly, and his father would have a hissy fit if he eliminated two Twos. At least there were only two girls left.

"Miss Amelia Wilde?" He inquired. A pretty girl with tanned skin and dark brown hair dressed in a cream colored gown stood up. Ethan wondered if she really did hate Erin's guts. She looked pretty nice. She gave a polite smile and curtsey, spreading the delicate fabric of her skirt over her ankles.

"Lady Amelia, it's nice to meet you. I've, um, heard a lot about you."

Amelia blushed, tucking a curl behind her ear. "Prince Ethan, I apologize for my behavior yesterday towards Erin. I would try to explain, but I really have no excuse for my behavior, although the two of us have a complicated history." She refused to meet his gaze, and Ethan couldn't tell if she was lying or telling the truth.

"Since you don't strike me as the type who would intentionally hurt her…I wouldn't mind hearing you explain your side of the story." Ethan decided it was better than anything. "Just tell it honestly. I appreciate honesty." Her apology had indicated that she was somewhat truthful, anyway.

"There really isn't an excuse for me going off like that, but I'll try to explain anyway. You see, before Erin left our province to military school, we were best friends. Right before she left, I caught her on a date with my current boyfriend. As you might have guessed, both relationships were pretty much over after that. Then, I was provoked when I saw her again. She said some things, but seeing her again was so surprising that I can't remember for the life of me what it was. My anger overtook me, and I said some things I shouldn't have. I meant to apologize last night, and this morning, but I couldn't work up the courage." Amelia's face reddened, and she avoided his eye contact. Ethan pondered her words. She hadn't really put herself into a better light, and she seemed to speak the truth.

"When I get a chance, I will speak to Erin about the matter. Still, however, if you still wish to apologize, may I suggest you write her a note?"

Amelia giggled slightly. "You really do speak like a prince." She tittered. "But that's a good idea. Thank you."

Ethan felt the tips of his ears go red again. "I speak like a prince? What does that mean?"

"It means you speak very well educated." Amelia said seriously. "And it shows."

"Well, you, Lady Amelia, speak like a writer."

"That's because I am." Amelia teased. Ethan smirked.

"I meant it as a joke…I liked getting to hear your side of the story, though."

"I suppose this is my cue to leave, then." Amelia rose and curtsied. "I'll see you at breakfast, unless you decide to kick me out."

"I already have quite a list of those, and you're not on it. You may rest assured…or whatever."

"Thank you, your highness." Amelia curtsied again, and left.

By this time, the volume of the chatter of the other girls had increased significantly. It was time for the last girl.

"Miss Michaela Williams?" A beach blonde in a dark lavender ball gown stood up. Her gown was lively, betraying the mature appearance of her face. She seemed nervous, but not overly so.

"Prince Ethan." She acknowledged in a murmur, sinking into a curtsey. She took her seat. "I bet you're just as ready to go to breakfast as me, so if you make this quick, I don't mind."

Ethan liked this girl's easy manner already. "I'm sorry you had to be the last, Lady Michaela."

"Oh, I don't mind. It gave me some time to figure out my true identity." Michaela's word were sarcastic, but her tone didn't even have a hint of it. "I finally know who I really am." A little smirk gave away her sarcasm this time.

"Care to share, then?" Ethan tried to imitate her humor, but he wasn't the funniest.

"Well, I was sort of joking, but I'll tell you some things anyway. I own my grandmother's bakery, I'm a Four, and I live with my sister. I love to bake, obviously. We have a lot of cakes and pie and cookies and stuff. I also like to swim, since I live near the beach."

"So why did you sign up?"

"Mostly for the money and stuff. My sister June convinced me."

"Is she in charge of the bakery while you're gone?"

"Sort of. She's only twelve, so we reduced the hours and stuff. Our employee Kellie is helping her."

"Did you say it's your grandmother's bakery?"

"Yes, after my parent's died, we lived with her until she died, and I took over the business."

"So you're an orphan?"

"Yeah…I'd rather not talk about it." She looked away, and Ethan felt embarrassed. Of course she wouldn't.

"Yeah, yeah. Sorry, that's fine. Um, I'm sure you're starving too, so I'll go ahead and end this. I know you well enough to keep you around a little longer." He tried to joke, but realized it wasn't that funny. "Er, sorry."

"That's fine! It was nice to meet you!" She left, and Ethan suddenly felt very nervous. It was time to tell the girls who were being eliminated. Sophia scurried over to him.

"Is that all?"

"Yes, but tell the girls to stay for a few minutes. I'll handle the rest." He looked down at his list as Sophia shouted instructions. Even though the girls kept whispering, Ethan could hardly bear the heavy silence. There was no turning back, no calling the girls and asking them to come back. Still, there were some he already knew would never work. Finally, he arrived at his conclusion. Eleven of them were going. Now he just had to tell them.

…

**Ehh, mean place to stop, this chapter is huge! You'll see who it is next time! However, I am devoting myself to finishing my fictionpress story. I may get writers block, though and do a quick update on this. I'm sorry this chapter is so long, but I had it all planned out. After the next chapter, basically breakfast and meeting the royals, I will begin the dates. As much as I would like to do everyone, I really would hate that and die and everyone get bored, so here's how it works. If you have pretty much been consistently reviewing AND your character is labeled as a main character (see my profile), they get a in depth date. If, however, you have multiple characters, I chose the one who I thought would be best. ** **So, yeah. It would be wise to start reviewing for future things like this! Still, I'm not going to change my mind if you start reviewing. I'm sorry I can't do everyone, but that would be really boring. **

**Don't forget to review!**

**-Shades**


	21. Hey, Girl

**Not to brag or anything, but *looks smug* I have the longest (word wise) syoc story for the Selection trilogy, and the most reviews! And you know why? Because of people like the most awesome people ever: **zanzibaby, majestictales, 4Love4Love4, theYAfangirl17, Guest/Alexina, fairy not princess, mnbvcx-xx, TheGirlWithTheRainbowTattoo, delovlies, Demigod-Gallagher-Selected **who review pretty much constantly and spur me on. I love you guys! **

**So I tried to work on my fictionpress story…but this was so much more fun, so I'll try to work back and forth every 2000 words instead. **

**By the way, check out the face claims and other things on my profile!**

…

Eleven girls were gone. Just like that, they were down to twenty four. Nat looked around the dining room, her stomach rumbling. It had taken forever for Prince Ethan to talk to them all, and now they had to wait again! She was starving! The girls spoke to one another in loud, high pitched voices. Nat tried to remember who was gone, but the names Prince Ethan had announced to stay behind refused to come back to her. Behind the closed doors, a loud sobbing broke through. The girls went silent, looking at each other nervously. Nat glanced around, catching eyes with Rory next to her. The blonde smiled smugly, flipping her hair out of her eyes.

"Congratulations, ladies." She said silkily. "We just survived the first elimination."

"Who all went home?" Nat asked curiously. "I didn't really pay attention."

"I was just listening for my name. I didn't know what to think when he told us to leave." Amber said, across from Nat. "Those girls didn't either."

"I say it was quite a scandal, sending Elly Olsen home. She's a Two!" Rory chimed in.

"I guess that means you're only safe if he likes you." Sirena piped up on the other side. "Not even connections keep us safe."

"So, who went home besides Elly?" Nat asked, getting slightly annoyed. These girls sure loved to gossip. She looked down the table, noticing a few empty spots.

"Juniella Alonzo and Ava Rotham, they were both Fours." Amber told her.

"You forgot Alana Harowski. She's a Four, too." Sirena added. "One less redhead, thankfully." She tossed her own ginger locks playfully, grinning.

"Hey!" Amber joked, pointing to her own auburn hair.

"Summer Leean, Ruby Larson, and Lilly Gaston were eliminated. They're all Fives." Rory added. "And Saskia Buchanan and Erica Carter were Sixes.

"And Audra Jepson, that slutty Seven." Adele sniffed, sitting next to Amber, and across from Sirena.

"Who else?" Nat pressed. "That's ten, with Elly."

"Alexina Lee." Sirena arranged her napkin in her lap. "And she's a Three!"

"I hope he doesn't have the audacity to eliminate me!" Rory said disdainfully. "_Everyone _knows who I am." She lifted her chin into the air.

"Unfortunately." Nat thought she heard Sirena mumble, but since she was in between them, Rory didn't hear.

Before anyone else said anything, the doors the hallway opened, ushering in the royals. As Sophia had taught them, all the remaining girls stood up, and curtsied. Nat could barely contain her nerves.

There they were. Just like every Friday night on the Report, except they were like a few yards from her. She remembered Sophia's instructions, keeping her head lowered as they walked in.

First was King Jackson. He was handsome, in an older man sort of way, with his dark hair and dark eyes. He smiled, and nodded to acknowledge them, but he still seemed a little cold, just like on the Reports.

Behind him was Queen Francesca. Her red-brown locks were swept into an up-do, her tiara set perfectly on top. She seemed youthful, and she was beautiful.

"They need to bottle the stuff she uses to look so young." Sirena whispered to Nat, earning a death glare from Sophia. The Queen wore a gorgeous dark green ball gown, probably to make all the girls in their evening finery feel less out of place. She wore a proud smile, and kept grinning at her husband.

Prince Andrew and his wife, Princess Christine, walked hand in hand, smiling foundry at each other. Prince Andrew definitely favored his mother, with reddish brown hair, and hazel eyes. He was tall, and the little mustache and goatee he wore only enhanced him. Princess Christine, on the contrary, was delicate and petite in her light coral gown. Her blonde curls, blue eyes, and dimples made her look even more like a princess.

Princess Michelle waltzed in behind them, garbed in a dramatic gown, black skirt with a silver bodice. Like Prince Ethan, she favored King Jackson, with dark brown/black hair and eyes. She commanded the attention of all the girls, tossing her ringlets. Nat caught Rory staring jealously.

Behind them was Prince Ethan. He was attractive too, but Nat had already met him. Still, he looked flustered and guilty. He scanned them all with a tight lipped smile, running his hand through his short dark hair nervously. Next to him, Prince Wesley elbowed him in the ribs, smirking. Like his brothers, he was attractive, in a younger, mischievous sort of way. His hair, somehow, was a light brown, and it was tousled, although he had the same eyes as Queen Francesca and Prince Andrew. The royal family took their seats, except Ethan. He stood awkwardly in front of the table, his hands deep in the pockets of his charcoal suit.

"Thank you, ladies, for taking the time to meet with me. I know you must be hungry, so I'll make this brief. As you may have well figured out, I have eliminated eleven girls I just didn't feel I connected with-Alexina Lee, Juniella Alonzo, Lilly Gaston, Summer Leean, Ruby Larson, Alana Harowski, Elly Olsen," He spoke Elly's name softer and faster. The King and Queen exchanged a look of surprise. Ethan swallowed, and continued. "Erica Carter, Saskia Buchannan, Audra Jepson, and Ava Rotham. Gracelyn Luna, who fainted earlier, is fine, and resting in her room, so she will not be joining us for breakfast. Thank you." He nodded awkwardly, and took a seat. Wesley whispered something in his ear, and Ethan scowled.

Right on cue, several waiters entered, pushing carts piled high with steaming plates. They worked efficiently, setting a plate in front of each girl, and filling their glasses with orange juice. Nat dug into the oversized waffle with strawberries and whipped cream with gusto. She was starving! After several bites of the heavenly waffle, she felt Amber kick her across the table. She looked up. Amber nodded her head slightly to the left. Nat swallowed her bite, and looked towards Rory. The skinny blonde painstakingly cut her waffle into bite sizes, but she didn't eat a single bite.

"Aren't you going to eat that?" Nat said bluntly. Rory looked up, a look of something like fear skittering across her face.

"I wish they would have given us something lighter." She snapped. "Do you have any idea how many calories are in one bite of this?" She rolled her eyes, spearing a small segment with her fork, and eyeing it with disdain. "I don't think I can stomach it."

"Aren't you going to be hungry later?" Nat asked, looking at Amber for help.

"What are you, my mother?" Rory retorted. She forked a small strawberry and ate it. "Happy?" She effectively ended the conversation, turning to converse with Hana. Nat looked at Amber, who shrugged, and then at Sirena. She found the red head looking sort of miserable, choking down the last few bites on her plate. Sirena looked at her, and then quickly looked away. Nat looked at Amber again, who shook her head, and went back to eating.

Confused, Nat took a sip of orange juice, and concentrated on the whipped cream. She finished eating quickly, since the conversation was pretty much dead now at her part of the table. When the clinking of forks and knifes pretty much ended, Queen Francesca stood to address them.

"Ladies, I look forward to meeting more of you. I'm so glad you are all here. Sophia will give you more instructions, but Michelle, Christine, and I will be in the Woman's Room when you return there." The other royals stood up, and left, and immediately after the door shut, the girls broke into nervous chattering.

"Oh my gosh! We're meeting the Queen!" Amber squealed.

"Ladies, ladies, calm down and be quiet! You need to be on your best behavior!" Sophia yelled at them. "Now, listen carefully. Return to your rooms and change into an appropriate day dress. Your maids will help. Then wait for me to take you to the Woman's Room. You'll meet them there."

After that, anyone who wasn't finished eating decided they were, and the now smaller entourage paraded through the halls to the second floor. Nat scurried to her room, startling her maids.

"Quick! I have to change! I'm meeting the Queen!" She cried. Her maids went into a frenzy, but they quickly outfitted her in a short baby blue strapless lace dress, and silver heels. They pulled her hair back more, and touched up her makeup, before sending her back into the hall. In no time at all, Nat was back with the other girls, heading to the Woman's Room.

…

Nicole nervously smoothed her light pink tea-length dress. It was the same color of the gown she had worn earlier, but she had done that on purpose. The doors to the Woman's Room were open. Sophia stood aside, gesturing for the girls to enter.

Everyone froze, no one wanting to go first. Finally, Mackenzie sighed, rolling her eyes, and walked in, her hot pink dress flouncing. The other girls followed her. Nicole looked sideways at Nat, and the two entered together. Some of the girls made a beeline for Queen Francesca, Princess Michelle, and Princess Christine, who were whispering quietly to one another. Others avoided them like they were the plague. Nat dragged Nicole to a loveseat nearby, but not too close, as that would mean joining the desperate ones, who acted it up terribly well. Mackenzie laughed happily.

"Oh, Princess Christine, I know what you mean!" She said loudly. Nicole rolled her eyes, and looked for Autumn and Gracie. Gracie still had not returned though, but she found Autumn, and waved her over. Cora came over too, sitting next to Nat. The foursome chatted, but kept stealing glances toward the royals.

Mackenzie, Cordelia, Rory, Amber and Adele sat around them, talking. Amber and Adele weren't sucking up quite as much as the first three, though. Bryn and Tatiana stood close, but weren't saying anything. Finally, Queen Francesca stood.

"Excuse me, ladies. It was lovely talking to you." She said, straining her gown. She hadn't changed, although the princesses had." The three split up, and went to separate cliques to speak to them. Princess Christine spoke to Bryn and Tatiana for a moment, and then headed for Nicole, Autumn, Cora, and Nat. She smiled cheerfully, smoothing her cream colored dress.

"Hello, girls." She said sweetly. Nicole swallowed. This wasn't just Prince Ethan, who she didn't even really want to marry. This was a princess, _and _a former ballerina. "Remind me of your names, again?" She asked, scooting up a chair and sitting down.

"I'm Nat." Her twin said bluntly. "Well, I guess Lady Natalia, but you don't have to bother with that." She added.

Princess Christine smiled, and giggled slightly. "I know, it takes some getting used to."

Autumn cleared her throat. "I'm Autumn Hunter, your highness." She said softly.

"Oh, please don't bother with all that. Let's just address each other like friends." Christine practically begged.

"I'm Cora Abel." Cora piped up. She smiled nervously, and bit her lip, blushing slightly. Nicole realized she had to speak now.

"I'm Nicole. It's an honor to meet you."

"And you guys as well. Are you excited?" Christine's blue eyes sparkled happily. "I remember being so nervous when I was in your place." She said. Cora nodded vigorously.

"I felt like throwing up talking to Prince Ethan." She admitted.

"Yeah, he did seem very princely." Nat confessed. Nicole couldn't figure out what to say, so she kept quiet.

"Yes, well Ethan is…he's very quiet. I'm sure he's just as nervous around you as you are around him." Christine told them.

"Really? He seems pretty confident and stuff." Autumn said.

"I know. He isn't very good at letting anyone in. He's shy around strangers, but when he's with his brothers, he just gets angry and sullen. Andrew, my husband, is the total opposite, and I never had a boyfriend before I was Selected, so I don't know much about men."

"What did you do before?" Nicole asked, although she knew everyone in Illea knew the answer.

Christine laughed fondly. "I was a Two, a ballerina. I was in the Company of Sumner. I would have gone on to be a principal if it wasn't for the Selection." She sighed wistfully. "But I gave all of that up."

"Are you sad?" Autumn said softly. Christine shook her head.

"No. No one I would have married would have measured up to Andrew. He's…just perfect for me. There's something about a Selection. There's always been the right girl for the Prince. Every time. So don't worry, because it always works out. One of you is meant for him."

…

Lissa couldn't push away the feeling of crushing disappointment. Usually, _nothing _got her down, but she couldn't shake this feeling. Her entire life, she had always dreamed of this, being here, and meeting the prince. Well, she had met him, and she had made it through the first round, even as a Seven.

But she wasn't in love.

_Maybe it's one of those times where it's going to catch me by surprise. Maybe I need to know him longer. _Lissa thought. But deep down, she knew it wasn't true. She would never love Prince Ethan. Which meant she would never want to become the One.

She sighed heavily, and watched her high heels glide across the marble floor. She had excused herself to use the restroom, and wouldn't you know, even in a palace, she had to go back upstairs. Just like at home. Except the bathroom was huge and in her room and it had a chandelier. _I guess it's their home. _She mused, watching the hem of her yellow tea-length gown poof out with each step. Lissa became so engrossed in the simple thing, that she didn't notice she was heading straight toward someone else. She collided with something warm and firm.

"Oof!" She grunted as she slammed into him. She looked up, and her heart nearly stopped. Prince Wesley stood before her, an amused smirk on his face.

"Is running into someone the new way to introduce yourself?" He said seriously.

Lissa immediately sunk to the deepest curtsey she could manage, but she was so startled, she lost her balance and fell.

"Your highness, my deepest apologies." She practically gasped, her face hot.

"Not a problem. Not all people have seen floors like these." Prince Wesley offered her his hand. Lissa tentatively took it, and allowed him to pull her to her feet. She kept her eyes on the floor. "Are you alright?" He asked.

"Yes, I'm fine. I am so very sorry." Lissa mumbled.

"Hey, it's not entirely your fault. I saw you coming, and didn't say anything. What's your name again? There's so many of you."

"Melissa Dove, but I usually just go by Lissa." She said softly, still not looking up.

"Ohhh." Wesley said knowingly. "_That _Lissa. The Seven." His ever-present smirk grew, and he lifted one eyebrow suggestively. Lissa nodded miserably.

"Yep, I guess I'm kind of stuck with that label. The trashy whore Seven."

"Hey, I didn't say that!"Prince Wesley stepped back.

"Well, it's true!" Lissa shot back. "I'm just that burlesque dancer! That's how everyone knows me!" She blinked back tears of realization.

"Dude, I knew it because I think it's hot." Prince Wesley's voice softened.

Lissa looked his straight in the eye. "Wait, did you just call me 'dude'?"

"Is that a problem?"

"Uh, yeah! First, I'm a girl, so I'm not a 'dude' and second, you're a prince!"

"So princes can't say dude?" His brow wrinkled. "Why?"

"Because you're a prince!" Lissa sputtered.

"Say, how old are you anyway?" Prince Wesley asked. Lissa stood up straight, drawing herself to her full five feet and ten inches.

"I'm fifteen, but my birthday is in three weeks." She said, matter-of-factly.

"Woah, no kidding! What day?"

"The twenty third."

"Dude, seriously? My birthday is the day before!"

"You just called me 'dude'. _Again._" Lissa pointed her finger at him.

"Oh, right. Sorry." Prince Wesley looked embarrassed. "Look, I've got to get going. And they're probably expecting you back anyway. I'll see you around, okay?"

"I'm sorry for bumping into you." Lissa said meekly.

"Hey, no problem. I got to meet a pretty girl, who happens to have been born the day after me." Prince Wesley smirked again. Lissa felt her blush come back.

"See you around….dude." He added, his eyes twinkling. Lissa grinned.

"Bye." She called after him. She stood dumbly there for a whole minute before she realized she should get back.

…

**Ooooh, plot twist! Next chapter will be a first date! **

**Don't forget to be awesome, and review!**

**-Shades**


	22. So This Is Love

**What? I'm updating again? Well, I tried to work on my fictionpress story, and I did, I really did (**delovlies) **but I'm still doing the 2000 word switcheroo. **

**But still, these folks are awesome beyond words, and I use words to record their awesomeness:**

**Anyways, this is Ethan's first date! **Zanzibaby **gave me the idea, although I tweaked it slightly!**

…

A cupcake. There was a cupcake on his desk.

Ethan stepped into his room, his eyes centering on his desk, in between the deep oak bookshelves. He walked closer, eyeing the cute dessert like it was a bomb. A small note lay folded next to it. Ethan glanced around the room, but no servants occupied the room. He looked down at the cupcake. It appeared to be chocolate, topped with blue frosting and a little thing that looked like a crown. He picked up the note, and unfolded it.

_Dear Prince Ethan, _

_ I am very embarrassed about what happened right before our interview, and I deeply apologize. My maids helped me sneak into the kitchen, and I made this for you. Well actually, I made twelve, but I gave the rest to my maids. If you want more, though, I can make more! Don't worry, it's not poison or anything. _

_ ~Gracie Luna~_

It took Ethan a moment to realize that Gracie must be Gracelyn, the girl who fainted. He smiled. Now he had an excuse to properly meet her. Since she had just fainted, he figured she would still be in her room. He peeled the liner from the cupcake, and took a giant bite. It was simple flavors, but it was delicious. He finished it off, and wiped his mouth, and checked Sophia's 'brief', to find out Gracie's room number, before leaving the solitary room, where no one bothered him. Ethan walked down the glittering hallway, and turned the corner to the stairs, nearly bumping into Wesley.

"Watch it." He mumbled, shoving his brother lightly. He wasn't in the mood for idiotic shenanigans. Wesley blinked, and instead of coming up with a witty remark, he looked disoriented.

"Oh, sorry." He continued on his way. Ethan furrowed his brow. _What's up with him?_ He didn't ponder it very long, and went to the second hall. It, too, was empty. His steps echoed down the corridor. He spied Gracie's room, and took a deep breath, and knocked.

…

Gracie looked up as the maids suddenly went silent. People had been knocking on her door all day, to make sure she was okay, but this time she knew was different. She briefly saw the maids curtsying before her eyes landed on Prince Ethan. He stood there, tall, dark, and handsome, his hands jammed in his pockets, his ears red. Gracie's heart jumped in her throat, and she quickly stood up and curtsied.

"Your Highness!" She said, flustered. "I didn't expect to see you." She lowered her head.

"I came to thank you for your cupcake…it was very good."

"Oh, your welcome!" Gracie perked up. "I felt so bad about fainting, I had to do something!"

"Please don't worry about it." Ethan pleaded at her with his eyes. "Um, since I haven't gotten to meet you really, yet, would, um, would you like to go riding with me?"

"Like horses? Are you kidding, I would love too!" Gracie jumped up, and then looked down at her lavender ball gown and heels. "Oh. I should probably change first."

"Um…okay." His face turned red, like his ears. "Meet me there in like ten minutes?"

"Okay!" Gracie bounced up and down on her toes. As soon as Ethan closed the door behind him, she let out a scream. "Oh my goodness! I'm going on a date with the freaking prince of Illea!" She cried. Her maids chuckled.

"Yeah, in ten minutes." Lillian reminded her gently. "And you can't go riding like that." She pointed to Gracie's gown.

"Right. What _do _I wear? Riding breeches?"

"You'll wear what the princesses and the queen wear." Summer said. "And they don't wear pants."

Lizzie darted into the closet. "We already sewed one for you, since you mentioned you liked riding on your form." She called out in a muffled voice. Lizzie emerged, her small frame half covered with yard after yard of fabric.

"It's a riding gown." Lillian explained. "It's so long so your legs are covered. For modesty."

With the much needed help of her maids, Gracie put on the long dress. It was dark blue, silky fabric, with a long train, and hem. A black jacket went over the sleeves, and thank heavens they gave her boots and leggings to wear underneath instead of hose and high heels!

"Hurry, we only have like, two minutes!" She squealed as they hurried to tidy up her makeup, and pin her curls off her neck.

"Okay, miss, you look fabulous!" Lizzie cried, jumping up and down. "Are you ready?"

"Oh, gosh, I don't think I can do this! I've never even been on a date before, let alone a date with a prince!" She gripped handfuls of her gown until her knuckles turned white. "Still, I finally get to ride again!"

"If he doesn't get tired of waiting!" Lillian gently shoved her to the door. "Go!"

Gracie giggled, and headed to the door.

"Make sure to remember every detail so you can tell us!" Lizzie called after her.

"I will!" Gracie slipped into the hallway, trembling. _Nerves or excitement….hmmm. _A guard was waiting to take her to the stables, and led her out through the gardens, and down a long path to a warm wooden building, surrounded by fields and fences and grass and horse after horse. Gracie inhaled deeply, the earthy smell of horse and hay greeting her. _I didn't realize how much I missed it... _She realized as she walked down the wide barn aisle. Each stall was beautiful. _I want to be a horse!_ She thought, taking in the boxy stalls, the brass nametags, and the golden hay. Most of the animals were grazing outside, but if they were inside, they were gorgeous. Every different color and type, gazing at her with warm liquid eyes. Gracie didn't see Prince Ethan, though. _Where is he? He said to meet him at the stable but this thing is bigger than my whole house back home! _She glanced around. The few grooms had stepped aside when she walked by, but she was too shy to ask them if they had seen her date. She looked around.

And saw him.

Prince Ethan vanished from her mind, as did the Selection. Even her own horse, Zanzibar. It was just him and her in the stables. And it was love at first sight.

She quickly hurried toward the gorgeous dark gray gelding, and brushed her fingers down his nose, as if he might break. He nickered softly, and wuffed into her perfectly styled hair.

"Hello, love." She whispered, straitening his dark mane hesitantly. If this horse was a human, she would have been smitten. He was long-legged, but still light. His coat was dark gray, faintly dappled on his flanks with a lighter gray. His face was also the lighter gray, and his dark eyes were trusting. Gracie stroked his neck, his fur silky under her hands. "You're the most beautiful horse I've ever seen." She murmured to the beast.

"I've see you've met Tiger." A voice behind and her said. Gracie jumped slightly and whirled around.

"You scared me!" She said, pressing her hand to her chest. She swallowed hard, taking in Ethan's gorgeous grayish eyes. Now she couldn't decide who she liked more, the horse or the prince. "But, yes. I did. Is he yours?"

"Yeah. Well, I have a few, but yes, he's technically mine."

"A few?" Gracie giggled. "I've never seen so many horses at once!"

"Yeah….the guards all need a mount though…." His ears turned red, and he ran his hand through his hair and glanced sideways. Gracie stifled a giggle. He was so shy, it was adorable. Then again, she was shy too, but it was cuter for him.

"So, do you want to go riding, then?" Gracie looked up at him shyly, twirling a piece of hair around her fingers.

"Yeah, yeah. Sorry. My mind was…elsewhere." The redness in his ears spread to his neck. He quickly called a groom, and told him to saddle his own horse and another one.

"I'll put you on Tiger." Ethan told her. "He'll behave. He's the only horse I trust for a first time rider."

Gracie stifled another giggle. She was no first time rider! Oh well, she'd surprise him! The groom led Tiger and a big bay gelding out to the mounting block, Gracie and Ethan following in silence. It took some maneuvering to get on the horse in the long dress, but Gracie managed, hoping Ethan would think it was her inexperience. Once they had both mounted, Gracie picked up the reins.

"So, I have an idea." She said, coaxing Tiger to follow Ethan's bay at a boring walk.

Ethan swiveled around in the saddle, and a smile twitched at his lips. "An idea, you say?"

"Yeah."

"So let's hear it."

"We race!" With that, Gracie shortened the reins of her horse and kicked him into a gallop. She threw one arm into the air, and let out a whoop of delight. She turned around just long enough to see Ethan laugh and rally a charge to catch her, but it was a little too late. Gracie grinned, feeling the even rhythm of Tiger's stride. The wind snagged at the pins in her hair, and all her maid's hard work went to waste. But she didn't care. She slowed Tiger to a stop, allowing Ethan to catch up.

"I didn't realize how much I've missed that!" She said jovially.

"I didn't know you could ride!" Ethan grinned, and he seemed much more at ease.

"Well I can!" Gracie giggled, and lifted her chin into the air in an attempt to look haughty. "I wrote it on my form."

"Well, there are a lot of you…" Ethan ducked his head and looked down, his ears reddening.

"Not as many anymore." Gracie reminded him, pulling her horse abreast of his.

"Yeah…guess you're right." Ethan's blush spread.

"So who all went home? I wasn't there and I missed out on all that juicy gossip." She giggled.

"Just the girls I didn't like. Or connect with. Elly, Ruby, Summer, Erica, Lilly, Alexina…um, Alana….and Saskia and Audra…and Ava. And Juniella."

"Wow, Elly. She's a Two, right?"

"Yeah. My dad will give me hell about that."

"So, is it like…hard to be a prince?" Gracie asked. Ethan was silent, and the only sound was the plod of the horse's hooves.

"I guess it's not the hardest thing ever. I mean, I could be an Eight or something."

"Just because you're a One doesn't mean life is easy. I've only been here a day and it's a lot harder than I thought." Gracie admitted.

"Yeah….I'm the middle kid, so there's a lot more pressure on Andrew, though."

"And?"

"What?" Ethan looked sideways at her.

"I know you're going to say more." Gracie gave him a pointed look.

"How?"

"I don't know. I just can tell. You don't like being a prince."

"It could be a lot worse, though." He said quickly. Gracie gave him another look. "But yeah….it's not easy." He stared off into the sky, and Gracie purposely didn't say anything else. She would get him to talk, so she could know him better. "I mean, it's easy for my brothers. Andrew can lie his way out of anything, and Wesley's so idiotic people think it's cute. But then there's me. The one who never amounted to anything." Ethan rolled his eyes, and tightened his grip on the reins.

"I'm sure that's not true." Gracie told him reassuringly. "You've gotten through the first day of the Selection. And you've asked a girl out!" She teased. "But _you _did lose a race. To a girl." Gracie giggled.

"You cheated." Ethan accused, but his grin told her he wasn't _that _mad.

"Oh really? Would you like to go again?" Gracie asked sweetly. "Because it would be no contest."

Ethan's grin grew wider. "To the end of the path?" He pointed to where the path in flat, grassy field was enveloped by woods.

"You're on!" They kicked their mounts into a gallop, the animals surging down the riding path.

"Thanks for putting me on your horse!" Gracie cried over her shoulder. Her hair whipped into a frenzy, the careful updo a mess .She began pulling ahead stride by stride.

"That's where you are wrong!" Ethan shouted back. "He's a sprinter. This is a distance horse." The continued at a gallop. In the end, Ethan's horse pulled ahead.

"I guess you won, fair and square." Gracie laughed. "It's one to one." They turned their horses back towards the stable by unspoken consent. "But you know, this riding gown thing _is _pretty heavy."

"Really now?" Ethan teased. "We could settle this once and for all and race back?"

"We could…" Gracie put on her best pensive look. "Good idea!" She pulled her horse into a gallop before Ethan could say anything.

"Hey!" He cried behind her, rallying another charge to catch her. Gracie laughed, but kept going. Ethan's horse drew next to her, and as they approached the stable, the slowed to a walk. "I guess we're even."

"It was pretty much a tie." Gracie agreed. "I had fun today. Thank you."

"Yeah…me too." They pulled to a stop in front of the stable. Ethan climbed down quickly, and came around to help Gracie off. "Here." He held out his hand as Gracie swung one of her legs around. She grasped his hand, feeling a tingle. She felt her face go red, and saw Ethan's was too. She smiled cautiously, allowing him to grasp her around the waist and help her off.

"Thanks." She said quietly. The led their horses back inside, and handed them off to a groom.

"Well, Gracie, I hope we get to do this again soon. But I have a meeting. And twenty three other girls to date first."

"It's okay." Gracie suddenly felt too embarrassed to say anything else. Ethan reached for her hand, and brought to his lips, brushing a kiss over her wrist. His eyes met hers for a moment and his ears turned red, before he turned and walked away.

Gracie stood there like an idiot, watching him go. She slowly lowered her hand, caressing the place he had kissed.

_So this is love. _

…

**So, thoughts? You can tell me in a review you know! What do you think about Gracie and Ethan? Who would you like to see on a date next? **

**If someone could do me a huge favor and help me out, I will love you forever! I read the Selection Trilogy online, but it's gone. After America's date and the bet, what happens afterwards? If someone could tell me the next several events, that would be great! **

**Okay, fun time! Who is your dream cast if the Selection was a book or a movie? **


	23. This Feels Alot Like Love

**Well, I only had five reviewers last time, but I also forgot to commemorate the reviews, so I'll do both. For last chapter, love and thanks to **zanzibaby, theYAfangirl17, 4Love4Love4, majestictales, mnbvcxz-xx. **For the chapter before, hugs to: **zanzibaby, 4Love4Love4, theYAfangirl17, Guest/Alexina, fairy not princess, mnbvcx-xx, delovlies, Demigod-Gallagher-Selected, EruditeAbnegationMockinjay, **and new reviewer **Mrs. AspenLedger! **To answer your question, Wesley is fifteen, almost sixteen. Shout out to **majestictales **for reading my almost finished fictionpress story "The Hunt"! Everyone check it out! I'm still trying to finish it, but I was so busy last week, I haven't had much time except the last two days, since I've been sick. I had a tournament for my debate team (I GOT 2****ND****!) on Thursday, and we don't get home until like after midnight, and then I had to make like a million cupcakes on Friday for a festival at my school all day Saturday. Which was super fun. Even if I have blisters from square dancing, lost my voice, and don't like kids as much as I used to. **

**Anyways, because **majestictales **is so awesome, this chapter is Katherine's date!**

…

Katherine looked around the Woman's Room, bored. The girls near her, consisting of Amber, Bryn, Meagan and Hana, whispered furiously in hushed tones. Katherine sighed. After the interviews, breakfast, and meeting the Queen and the Princesses, they had eaten lunch, and then had a lesson by Sophia about etiquette. Like yesterday, they had spent the remainder of the afternoon in the Woman's Room socializing. Already, it felt weird with the eleven eliminated. Katherine hadn't talked to any of them, but they represented the fact that the stakes had gotten higher. Adele had seen Gracie out riding with Ethan yesterday from her window, and now every girl in the room was shooting glares at Gracie from where she sat giggling with Nicole and Autumn.

Katherine fidgeted with her lacey pale pink dress, humming a measure of music she had jotted on the corner of the magazine page she was reading. Sitting around and gossiping wasn't exactly her idea of fun. Nor was reading the trashy celebrity gossip magazines, even if her picture was in several of the articles. Before tossing the magazine back onto the side table, Katherine tore off the corner, and slipped it into her shoe. She would finish that song later, when she could use the gorgeous piano in her room. Even though she was a Four, they had still gotten her hobbies right, and stocked her room with a piano. They hadn't included a sewing machine, though her maids promised to bring one of theirs later.

A maid slipped into the room, holding a silver tray with a folded piece of paper. She went to Sophia, and curtsied, offering her the note. All the girls went silent, watching the maid's every move. The eyes switched to Sophia. She read the note, and then looked up.

"Katherine, it seems you have a message." The woman said. Katherine gasped. She pointed clumsily to herself.

"M-me?"

"You're the only Katherine here, right?" Sophia asked her. Katherine quickly nodded, and rose, hurrying over to their advisor. She took the note, noticing all the other girl's eyes riveted on her. She glanced down at the soft paper, a faint woodsy smell coming from the paper.

_Lady Katherine, _

_I know you have already eaten lunch, but my meetings ran over time. I was wondering if you would like to accompany me for a small picnic of sorts before dinner? Please send your response with the maid, and I'll meet you at your room at four, if you do not decline, of course. _

_Ethan. _

Katherine found herself smiling, especially the way he scrawled his name at the bottom. No _Prince, _just Ethan.

Realizing everyone was staring at her, Katherine quickly re-folded the note.

"Please tell him I would be honored." She whispered. The maid nodded, and exited quickly. Katherine looked at Sophia. Usually, they weren't allowed to leave the Woman's Room except to use the restroom. The advisor nodded.

"Go ahead." A note of usual kindness spiced her voice. Katherine smiled, and followed the maid to the doors. Once in the hallway, she couldn't stop the grin from spreading across her face. She was going on a date! With the prince of Illea! She half walked-half skipped as quickly as she could to her room, as quickly as propriety demanded. She had, like fifteen minutes, to get ready! Her maids looked up in surprise when she entered.

"He asked me on a date!" She blurted out. Her maids jumped up, squealing.

"How long do we have?" Leah asked.

"Where are you going?" Rosalie cried.

"Like, ten minutes, and on a picnic." Katherine told them. "So no ball gowns."

"I like what you have on." Jane nodded. Katherine looked down at her delicate knee length lace dress. It was light pink, with elbow length sleeves. It _was_ pretty.

"Maybe different shoes." She kicked one white pump across the carpet. "Sandals or something." She peered at her image in the mirror, smoothing her careful updo. "And I want my hair down." She said.

Her maids set to work. Rosalie took down her pinned up hair, leaving behind soft curls from being twisted up all day. Rosalie took a curling iron, to give the curls more volume, while, Leah went to find different shoes. Jane put a little more powder on her forehead and nose, and freshened up her mascara. Leah returned, with a pair of cute white flats. Katherine slipped them on eagerly, her feet relaxing. She hadn't realized how uncomfortable heels were.

A knock at the door stopped them all. Katherine felt her heart flip-flop, and she swiped on some clear lip gloss as Rosalie misted her hair with hairspray, and Leah squirted some of her honeysuckle perfume on her. Katherine checked her image in the mirror, and took a deep breath. As calmly as she could, she opened the door, and curtsied.

"Your Highness." She whispered, trying to steady her voice. Prince Ethan's ears turned red. He wore a pair of khaki pants, a white dress shirt, and a navy jacket, but no tie. Katherine felt her legs go wobbly.

"Lady Katherine." Prince Ethan bowed slightly. "You look, um…lovely."

"Thank you."

"Are you ready?" He asked her. Katherine nodded. She surprised herself by slipping her hand into the crook of his arm. He stiffened, but the relaxed. Katherine waved goodbye to her maids, and stepped out into the hallway.

"So, Lady Katherine-"

"Please, just call me Katherine." She looked up at him. "Lady Katherine makes me feel like someone I'm not."

"Okay, well, Katherine. Will you call me Ethan, then?"

"Of course!"

"It's pretty hard when everyone sees you as a prince instead of just a guy." He confessed.

"I think I sort of know what you mean." Katherine said, curling her fingers on the sleeve of Ethan's jacket. She realized what she was doing, and quickly pulled her hand away. "I mean, back home, I was just another Four. The baker's daughter. It's not much different here. I'm just that girl from Calgary."

He was quiet for a moment, and they went down the sweeping staircase.

"So you feel trapped in the castes?" Ethan finally spoke. He seemed taken back.

"No, not that." Katherine said quickly. She smoothed back her hair. "I just wish people would take time to get to know others, you know?"

"Yeah….so, that's what we're doing, right?" Ethan looked down at her. Katherine was fairly tall, but he still towered over her. She tucked herself closer to him, and he jammed his free hand into his pocket. "What's that smell?"

"This one?" Katherine held up her other wrist as they approached the glass doors to the gardens. Ethan sniffed her wrist.

"Yeah."

"It's honeysuckle. My signature scent. They made all us girls pick one."

"What, a perfume?"

"Yeah! They didn't tell you?"

"No…I just thought Gracie naturally smelled like cake." He spoke seriously, but it struck Katherine as funny. She bit her lip to stifle a giggle, hiding her smile behind her hand. The guards opened the doors to the gardens, stoic expressions never leaving their faces. Katherine sighed happily, realizing she hadn't been outside except for between the limo and the palace two days ago. It was a glorious autumn day, still warm, but not hot, with a cloudless blue sky and a sun that was welcomed, now that it wasn't so hot anymore. Ethan and Katherine walked down the marble steps of the terrace, and onto a pebble lined path. Katherine was glad she was wearing flats, and not heels. The gardens were beautiful, not to mention perfectly groomed. A sprawling maze of boxwood hedges surrounded rose bushes and other flowers, hiding tiny fountains and benches and statues. A large, empty field was at the center, and riding trails were around the perimeter. Behind them was a field, presumably for horses. Further back, the woods were fenced back a black iron fence, and the stables and more horse paddocks were to the left. Towards the right, there was a glass enclosed building.

"What's that?" Katherine asked, pointing.

"The pool. Or pools, I guess. My mom wanted one built inside too, but even in the winter, it's not that cold here."

"Wow! Lucky!" Katherine exclaimed. They walked across a little manmade stream, on a cute little bridge. Katherine spied a small secluded area, next to a bush of light pink roses. A white bench was propped in front of a weathered stone wall, English ivy snaking up it. A maid stood nearby, setting out their picnic, presumably, on a wicker table, covered with a spotless white table cloth. She saw them coming, and finished her task quickly, and left.

They stopped in front of the little picnic. It wasn't so picnic-y anymore, but Katherine loved it.

"This is so nice!"

"Yeah, well thank the staff." Ethan looked embarrassed. He gestured to the bench, and Katherine sat, spreading her delicate tulle skirt over her knees. Ethan sat down next to her, his face reddening as he took in the dainty little cookies sitting on white china, and the lemonade in wine glasses.

"What's wrong?" Katherine asked.

"Um, I have no idea who made this, but I can assure you it wasn't me."

Katherine giggled at his embarrassment. "I didn't think you did, Ethan. You don't have to be embarrassed." He didn't say anything, but picked up one of the powdered sugar covered cookies, and took a bite. Katherine copied his motions.

"Wow, these are really good!" She looked around the perfect landscaping, catching sight of the walls surrounding the palace and grounds. "Do you ever get tired of living here?"

It took Ethan a moment to respond. "I guess so." He finally said, not elaborating.

"You guess so? What does that mean?"

"Well, I don't know what another life would be like." Ethan shrugged, and moved his arm. His sleeve brushed up against her elbow, and he practically jerked away, going scarlet. Katherine tried not to smile. She had been expecting the prince to be snobby, rude, and flirtatious, but Ethan was the exact opposite. His quiet, awkward mannerisms made something in Katherine go all wobbly. She attempted to lighten the conversation.

"So, Ethan, what's going on in Illea these days?" She asked playfully, reaching for a chocolate covered strawberry.

"Um, besides the Selection? I don't think you'd be very interested."

"Why not? You might be surprised."

"Are you at all interested in balancing the budget and taxes?" He smiled at her, casually slipping his arm along the back of the bench. Katherine felt her stomach tighten with nerves, but she couldn't stop a smile from spreading across her face. She leaned back a little, feeling the fabric of his coat against her shoulders, and shivered slightly.

"I must admit I could care less." She said with a laugh. "Anything, you know, interesting happening?"

"Define interesting." Ethan said with a smirk.

"Oh, you know, like headline worthy."

"My sister is engaged to be engaged to the prince of Italy." Ethan offered.

"_Everyone _knows that." She punched him lightly on the arm.

"C'mon, Kat. Give me a break." He teased.

Katherine froze. The nickname was supposed to be fun and sweet, but it hurt. Only one person had called her that, and it was Annalise, her sister. Her dead sister. She looked down, concentrating very hard on the cookie in her hand. "What's wrong?" Ethan pressed. Katherine shook her head, knowing it would just lead to tears if she tried to explain. She stood up quickly.

"Nothing."

"Are you sick?" He asked. She decided to nod.

"Yeah. I'm sorry." She whispered. Ethan stood, up, settling his arm lightly on her shoulder.

"It's okay. I'll take you back." He moved his hand to her elbow, and guided her back up the path towards the palace.

"I'm sorry, Ethan." She said.

"It's okay." He smiled down at her, and Katherine thought he would have winked if he hadn't of been so shy. "It gives us a reason to go out again."

"You make it sound so easy. Like we're at school or something." She told him. Ethan shrugged.

"I wish it was. Dating is hard in the first place, but all the Selection stuff makes it a nightmare."

….

**Would love to hear your opinions about Katherine, and who you would like to see on a date next time, or anything you would like to happen! I have some ideas, but I like to know what you think! I have a poll on my profile now, so make sure to vote!**

**As promised, here are the results for the dream cast! You don't have to read this, but I thought it would be fun! Only a few of you actually said anything, so if you didn't or you want to 'cast' different characters, I would love to hear from you! Okay, results: **majestictales **'cast' Bonnie Wright as America, and **4Love4Love4 **'cast'** **Bridget Regan with red hair. **mnbvcxz-xx** 'cast' Maxon at Dean Guyer, which I totally agree with, since he is a mega hottie (Google him!) **

**As for me, well since you didn't ask, I'll tell you anyway. First of all, there are a lot of Selection blogs that have opinions (check some out!) and most of them seem to prefer Holland Roden and Sarah Bolger for America, and Daniel Sharman and Max Irons for Maxon. **

**I think Alicia Banit would be a good fit for America, but she's blonde… personally Sarah Bolger screams Kriss to me, just from her pictures, and from memes on blogs I've seen. For Maxon, I would say Tim Pocock, since he is the hottest guy ever aside from Orlando Bloom, but if Alicia Banit was America, it wouldn't work from me, since they played siblings in Dance Academy. For Aspen, I always pictured him as Johnny Pacar (If any of you watched Flight 29 Down as kids, he played Jackson), and I always pictured Dena Kaplan as Celeste. That's just me, though! Tell me your opinions! **

**-Shades (who still hasn't regained her voice) **


	24. Something There

**Because I love ya'll, I'll announce ya'll to the world. **zanzibaby, theYAfangirl17, 4Love4Love4, majestictales, mnbvcxz-xx, fairy not princess, Alexina, delovlies, **and **The GirlWithTheRainbowTattoo. **They are awesome. BECAUSE THEY REVIEW!**

**It happened. I started this story at the start of August, and we're almost to November. I've been blessed not the have it. **

**But I had it. **

**What is it? Why, writer's block of course! I finished my fictionpress story, and then couldn't write this one. Plus I've been sooo busy. Anyway, though. Here's an installment!**

…

Ethan balled up his fists, stalking down the corridor of the third floor to his room. He threw open the doors to his suite, stalking through the unused sitting rooms and the office, and into his bedroom, the only room he actually spent time in. Muttering curses under his breath, he ripped off his tie, and yanked off the stupid jacket, and threw them over the armchair in the corner.

He didn't know why he was so worked up about this. Yeah, he'd known what would happen when he did it. Eliminating Elly, a Two, was bound to cause some problems. There was bound to be consequences. It was just the way he'd done it.

Still, all day yesterday, Dad hadn't said a work about it. And then today, after the budget meeting, he had coolly gone off about how stupid and what a disappointment Ethan was.

And, of course, Andrew and Wesley had been there the whole time, along with the advisors. Luckily, the Council of Legislatures hadn't been there.

Ethan gritted his teeth, taking out his anger by flinging his shoes into the corner. Why was it always him? Andrew was perfect, and Wesley had done so many things wrong, it was almost funny. But he never got in any trouble over it. It was always because he was just a kid, he didn't know any better.

Ethan thought back to his conversation with Gracie. Maybe being an Eight would be better than this. There was too much pressure, too many consequences, too many rules. His dad didn't even treat him like a son. He was just the future king, or whatever.

_I don't see why. Andrew will be the king, and then his kids. Not me. _

But Dad always said he thought that too. Like Ethan, he had been second in line for the throne. He was twenty four when the then king, his older brother Richard, had been killed in an outbreak of disease brought in by one of the servants. Mom always told Ethan how he'd gone from a charismatic, charming youthful prince to a cold, detached king. He'd ruled the country well, but he never treated his family like his family.

Michelle had told him several months ago that their parents slept in different rooms. Mom fawned over Wesley, and Dad was grooming Andrew to be his heir. The middle children, Michelle and Ethan, tended to be somewhat overlooked. But Michelle's dramatic, attention seeking ways and Ethan's introvert tenancies kept them from every being close.

Ethan sighed, sitting down on his bed. _Maybe I shouldn't have eliminated Elly….but I didn't even like her. I just would have been wasting her time-and mine. _He stood up angrily, his father's terribly quiet words from earlier echoing in his ears.

_Andrew sent home all the Sixes and Sevens in his first elimination. Why couldn't you do the same? _

_What were you thinking, sending that girl home? She was a Two!_

_Ethan, you must think about your choices. Elly had connections, and you just send her home on a whim. Think next time, boy! _

He grabbed his jacket, and put on boots instead of the stupid dress shoes. He had twenty girls left to date, after Gracie and Katherine, and he knew just the girl he wanted to take.

Elvira Entrinken. He had promised to take her shooting, and he certainly needed to blow off some steam.

…

She was floundering. Elvira had never been expected to go on the third date, and hadn't had time to prepare

. Nevertheless, it had been awesome to see the look on Mackenzie and Cordelia's faces when he had come to the door of the Woman's Room and asked to speak with her. Plus, she had gotten out of Sophia's lecture on tasteful makeup choices. She didn't care if her makeup made her look intimidating and dark. She wanted it that way. And this date would make her feel more like herself. Shooting at the shooting range back behind the stables would release all her pent up anger at her father for sending her here to get all fancied up.

She had never thought she would go shooting in a dress though. Still, if it had to be a dress, it would be her maid's newest creation. The short day dresses weren't as edgy looking as the designs for the evening gowns, but they still looked awesome. Her maid's had told her Sophia insisted she have long sleeves for her gowns, to hide the abomination of her muscles. It annoyed her to no end, but she couldn't really do much about it. Her dress was black, her signature color, with a v-neck and long, translucent sleeves, with a flippy short skirt park, the outer part black but the inside lining purple, that could only be seen from time to time. She wore heeled ankle boots, though, instead of stilettos, thankfully. She had tried to wear them to dinner on the first day and had about killed herself on the stairs.

Elvira watched curiously as Prince Ethan aimed the little carbine pistol at the target, both hands gripping it, with one eye half closed as he sighted down the barrel, just like he had done for the past several minutes. His jaw was clenched tightly, and all the smiles he had managed seemed even more forced than normal. She slipped her ear covers over her ears, just before Ethan followed the gun, hitting the target several inches away from the bull's eye. He flashed a quick boyish grin at her, and Elvira raised her own pistol, and fired. She hit the bull's-eye, square. She quickly hid her smirk, and lowered the gun, and reached up with one hand to take off her ear covers. Forgetting about her extensions, though, she moved too roughly, and it snagged on her dark brown curls. Elvira winced, and set the pistol down to untangle her hair. She reached up to her hair, and found Prince Ethan's hands already there, gently removing the hair from the ear covers.

She looked at him, and he quickly jerked his hands away, his ears and face flushing red.

"Sorry…" He muttered.

"For what?" Elvira challenged, grinning.

Ethan shrugged. "Never mind." He picked up his pistol again, firing several times, each hitting the bulls-eye perfectly. Elvira felt her eyes widen. She finished untangling her hair.

"You're pretty darn good with a gun." She told him.

"So are you."

"We're you messing up on purpose, then?" Elvira asked.

"Well…" Ethan turned red again, and Elvira laughed.

"It's okay. You don't have to answer." She playfully swatted his arm. "So you done shooting?"

Ethan shrugged again. "Uh, if you are."

I think my ears would die if we did."

She couldn't hide her smile. He was so shy and sweet, and well brought up. Not like all the egotistical bastards in the military who just wanted to get her in bed. They chatted her up, all the while analyzing every inch of her body, and then got mad when she refused them. Ethan wasn't like that. He was hesitant, and actually cared about her. _Maybe that just comes from being a prince…_Elvira supposed. She had never actually had a real boyfriend. _I don't think I've even been in 'love'. _She thought briefly back to her short-winded relationship with her friend Jules. After he had awkwardly admitted his feelings for her, she couldn't refuse him. They had gone on a single date, and it had been awkward and forced. When they had been just friends, it had been fine, and they could talk and joke for hours. Elvira had had to end things the next day, and their friendship had never been the same.

Maybe it would be different this time. Except for the fact Ethan had just broken up with eleven on his girlfriends, and he still had twenty three others. And she wasn't sure if she even loved him. Still, she didn't want to tell him that.

She watched as he slipped his hands into the pocket of his jacket, and shuffled his shoes along the paving of the shooting range. He seemed tense, and somewhat angry. A dull red color flushed his neck, and had remained there the whole time.

"So, are you going to tell what's wrong?" Elvira asked. She always could tell when someone was upset, and she wanted to know why. But she never ever asked them about it. She often closed herself off from people, because she didn't want them to see her vulnerable side. The side where she wasn't prepared for something, or when something was getting out of hand. When she was failing or could do better. So she was surprised when the question slipped out.

Ethan looked at her funny, his eyebrows furrowed. Elvira borrowed some of his blushing, and felt her face grow hot. She didn't want him to know how much she actually cared. Heck, she didn't want _herself_ to know how much she cared.

But this was a whole new side of him. The first time she'd met him, he'd been shy and charming and nervous and endearing. But today, he was angry and frustrated. And it wasn't just with someone else. It was with himself.

Ethan quickly looked away, but Elvira could see his hands curling into fists in his coat pocket. Sure, this hadn't been the ideal first date, but she wanted to know more about this boy. She was still waiting on an answer.

"Ethan?" She touched him lightly on his arm. He flinched—slightly, and the line of his jaw grew tighter.

"It's everything!" He cried, spinning towards her in a sudden explosion of anger. Elvira wasn't usually the girl to be scared, but she found herself taking a step back, stumbling slightly in her heels. Ethan ripped his hands from his pockets, gesturing hopelessly at her. "It's my whole life—my dad, my brothers, all these girls. You all want Prince Charming. My dad wants me to be Andrew, and my brothers…" He seemed to notice her all at once, and his words trailed off. He stuffed his hands back into his pockets, and he took a step back, ears reddening. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have gone off like that."

Elvira swallowed. She had never expected that from him. "Um…we should probably get back. It's almost time for dinner." She managed, hating not knowing what to say. She brushed her hair out of her eyes with her fingers, and turned to go. Ethan stopped her, placing his hand on her elbow.

"Elvira, wait." He said, his tone soft. She stopped without turning around, waiting for him to speak. "I'm sorry. You didn't do anything wrong. I shouldn't have lumped you in with the other girls. You're not like them. You're different. It's just…." He trailed off again.

"I get it. This Selection stuff is hard. Even for me." Elvira said.

"Yeah…it is." He was quiet for a moment. "You know, I thought it was supposed to be something where _I _was supposed to fall in love."

"Isn't it?"

"No way. My dad has to practically fall in love with the girl too." Ethan rolled his eyes. "He threw a fit about eliminating Elly. Just because she was a Two."

"So? It's your Selection. He's not getting married. What does it matter what he says."

"It's just…" Ethan stopped and looked at her. "It's how he did it. My brothers were in the room, and so was half of the Legislative body."

"So?" Elvira said again. "Who cares what they think?" She playfully poked him in the arm. "It's not their wife, so tell them to mind their own business!" She joked.

Ethan gave a half smile, but Elvira could tell he wasn't over his pride. She sighed. "Come on. Your mom will die if we're late to dinner."

Ethan shrugged, and Elvira held out her hand. He hesitated and took it, blushing again and going back to his shy ways. Hand-in-hand, they walked back to the palace.

There was a lot more to this boy than she had thought.

…

**Ehhh, not my best work. I'm sorry TheGirlWithTheRainbowTatoo, I don't think I did her justice. **

**Don't forget to leave a review! Let me know if you like Elvira and this chapter, and who you want to see next! Don't forget to vote in the poll on my profile!**

**By the way, the cover and the summary for the Heir came out. I have to admit, I'm not very excited. I swear there's at least one fanfiction about this already. Plus, no maxmerica! **

**-Shades**


	25. If I Can't Love Them

**So everyone had different opinions on who they wanted to see next. And I'm only human. Several people requested a "Wessa" moment, but you guys, put the brakes on! Come back to now! Don't jump to conclusions! Please! I don't mean to be a jerk about it, but it makes it really hard as a writer! **

**I'm giving in and writing two slightly shorter first dates for two awesome girls. I couldn't give them the main character status because when they were submitted, I had pretty much already chosen the main characters, but I still love them! Plus, their awesome creators are consistent reviewers! Also, I still want to stay on a 'timeline' so Nat will have a POV so we don't get confused in solid dates. **EruditeAbnegationMockinjay **and** 4Love4Love4-**you're the best!**

**You know who else is the best? **anzibaby, mnbvcx-xx, majestictales, TheGirlWithTheRainbowTattoo, theYAfangirl17, 4Love4Love4 (**again) and ** delovlies! **Love ya'll!**

**Song Credit: "One Hand, One Heart" West Side Story **

…

"You _what?_" Mackenzie shrieked—very loudly—in Cordelia's ear.

Wincing, Cordelia put a hand to her ear. "God, Mak. Do you _have _to be so loud? I'm going on a date. With Prince Ethan."

Mackenzie shrieked again, causing some of the girls at the table around them to look up.

"That is so not fair! Everyone in Illea knows who I am!" She sputtered.

"Everyone in Illea also knows who I am." Cordelia countered. Mackenzie sneered at her.

"Yeah, the eighteen year old who always plays the little kid. You know, if Prince Ethan really knew what you have to wear under that dress to make you look so skinny, I bet he would eliminate you here and now!"

Cordelia threw down her fork in disgust. "Yeah? Well, if he knew what you were like, he would eliminate _you _here and now!"

"Girls! Calm down!" Elvira, sitting on Mackenzie's other side, was all but restraining Mackenzie before she hit Cordelia. Cordelia and Mackenzie had been friends early on, elated to be seated next to each other at meals. "Mackenzie, it's not Cordelia's fault Prince Ethan asked her out. Go talk to him."

Why he would ever ask _you _out is beyond me." Mackenzie spat. Cordelia raised her eyebrows. This girl was no walk in the park. She had made Cordelia swear to silence, but had told her that after Gracie had pulled that fainting stunt and gotten the first date, Mackenzie had bribed her maids to steal the gown Gracie's maids were working on for the Report on Friday, two days from now. She had planned to sabotage Katherine's date, but the date had been during one of Sophia's lectures, and she hadn't been able to.

Tatiana jumped in to stop the argument now between Mackenzie and Elvira, but ended up getting dually insulted, and joined in, leaving Gracie and Lissa on either side of her to stop it. Cordelia ignored it, not wanting Queen Francesca to notice her getting involved. It was lunch, and usually the royals ate in their rooms. The King and the Princes were too busy working on diplomacy stuff, and the Queen and the Princesses sometimes came. All three were hear today. Cordelia knew she had to be favored by them. It was the key to getting into Prince Ethan's good graces. Besides Gracie, Katherine, and Elvira, Bryn and Hana had both gone on dates with him yesterday—Bryn had taken a walk in the extensive gardens, and Hana had a lunch date in the courtyard. Tatiana had mysteriously disappeared after breakfast, but unlike the other two, hadn't divulged any details about it.

But Cordelia's date would be spectacular. She was having dinner tonight with just Ethan. Princess Christine and Princess Michelle had confessed to Rory who had told Mackenzie who had told Cordelia that they were setting up all of Prince Ethan's dates, orchestrating the activity and food and stuff. In his note, he had just promised dinner, not disclosing any more details.

Mackenzie's comment about her weight still stung, though. She picked at her salad, not really hungry anymore. She had always been short, and always had to watch her weight. She wasn't fat, not really. The corsets and things she wore under her dresses helped a lot. She glared jealously at Mackenzie, the tall slim blonde.

_Don't think about that. She hasn't gotten a date yet. _

…

Ethan wiped his sweaty hands on his charcoal suit pants—again. This was so dumb. And yet, he was practically terrified. Michelle insisted that he ask Cordelia next, and she and Christine had orchestrated this whole dumb date, dinner in the observatory, a tiny usually dusty room, the highest point in the castle.

It was dark wood about halfway up on all four walls, and then glass panels up to the ceiling. There was barely enough room for a small round table and two chairs. The staircase to get to it was narrow and creaky, and although the views were great, Ethan still didn't understand all of the fuss about it. Christine assure him that Andrew had taken quite a few girls to dinner up here, and that Cordelia would love it, but he wasn't so sure.

He didn't even like Cordelia much. She had been cold and distant and snobby during her interview. She was a Two, however, and he had no intention of sending her home after the fiasco with Elly.

He looked around the room, not missing the dust particles in the air. Servants had cleaned it thoroughly, but this room was perpetually dirty. Outside, the sun was setting, painting the Illean sky pink and dusky purple. From up here, you could see everything. The gardens, the stables, the surrounding woods, even the servant's quarters. Illea looked so peaceful up here. It looked like a fantasy land, a fairy tale. Ethan leaned back in his chair, sighing heavily.

It was anything but peaceful. The masses were unrestful, as poverty was at an all-time high. There were attacks on Service Offices by rebels. No one had died, but there had been injuries. The whole ordeal with Yukon wasn't settled either. The rebellion had only begun last winter. It was heavily concentrated in the Northern provinces. They had seized control of Yukon, and it remained there. The governor was dead, although none of the public knew that. They couldn't communicate with those still loyal to the monarchy in Yukon either. The rebels had amassed even more supporters there. But they couldn't declare war. The rebels were still citizens of Illea.

The attacks on the Service Offices were mostly in the North, but were gradually making their way South. And they couldn't stop them.

A knock at the door interrupted Ethan's thoughts.

"Yes?" He said. A guard opened the door.

"Lady Cordelia is here, Prince Ethan." He said.

"Tell her to come up." Ethan said, scrambling to his feet, and pulling on his grey jacket. He had ordered the guard to make her wait at the bottom of the stairs, so she wouldn't catch him off guard. He stood by the door, hearing a delicate clip of heels climbing the staircase. He saw Cordelia nod to the guard, and she stepped into the room, a smile spreading across her face.

"This is lovely!" She said happily, brushing a dark curl out of her eyes. She wore a tactfully short, long sleeved, light blue dress, which hugged her curves. It was very sequin-y, and she looked great in it. Her short frame was elevated with matching heels that had to be at least five inches tall.

"You look beautiful, Lady Cordelia." He said, the response automatic after being schooled in it by his sister and sister-in-law.

"Thank you. What is this place?" She stepped further in, admiring the view. Ethan was struck how she didn't object to being called Lady. Gracie, Katherine, and Elvira had, even Bryn, Hana and Tatiana had.

"Um, it's called the observatory. It was used to see if any attacks were coming in the early days of Illea. But my brother used it for dates too."

"Oh. Well, it's very nice up here." She said. Ethan pulled out her chair for her, and she sat down. He signaled the guard to summon the waiters, and sat down at his own chair. Cordelia smiled briefly, and went back to watching the sunset. A waiter came, pouring champagne for them, followed by their first course. Cordelia didn't say much, and she ate even less. _ I guess it's up to me to do the talking… _Ethan supposed, wishing he was anywhere but here. He wasn't ready for the Selection. They had delayed it as long as possible, but he still wasn't ready.

"So, Lady Cordelia. You're an actress?" He said awkwardly.

"Yes." Was all she said. She didn't even seem shy, just like she didn't want to talk.

"Tell me about that."

Cordelia went down a long list of movies she'd been in, what part she played, and who starred in it. Ethan hadn't seen any of the ones she mentioned, and found himself focusing more on looking interested, and eating at the same time. When she had run out of movies, TV shows, guest roles, commercials, and appearances, the waiter brought in the second course.

"So tell me about your family." Ethan asked lamely. Cordelia quickly swallowed a mouthful.

"My mom, Felicia Whitney, designs clothes. She runs Gold Label. Surely you've heard of it?"

Ethan nodded politely, although he had no idea what she was talking about.

"My dad, Mason Whitney, is a director. His movies have been nominated, but have never won. He directed _Safe and Sound, A Life worth Living, _and _How Long? _Have you seen them?"

"Um, no." Ethan tried to say politely. Cordelia almost rolled her eyes, but seemed to catch herself.

"My sister, Marianne, is a pro-gymnast. She's not very good though." Cordelia said flippantly.

"So are you enjoying the Selection?"

"Oh, yes. I love it. Your mother is a picture of perfection, and I feel like I've known Princess Christine and Princess Michelle forever. I haven't gotten a chance to speak to Prince Wesley, but I already feel as if he were my own brother."

Ethan resisted laughing. If that wasn't BS, he didn't know what was.

They spent the remainder of the dinner in mostly silence. If she wasn't a Two, he would have eliminated her right then.

…

Nat sat up a little straighter, wishing Prince Ethan would look her way. It was Thursday. They'd gotten here last Friday, and they were almost a week in. Prince Ethan had gone out with Gracie after the interviews on Saturday. He'd gone out with Katherine on Sunday, and Elvira on Monday. Tuesday had been Bryn and Hana. Wednesday had been Tatiana and Cordelia.

Breakfast was tense- at least one girl was going on a date with the prince today, and they all wanted it to be them.

Nat knew it was stupid, but she was dying to talk to him again. She had liked him immediately in their interview. It wasn't love—yet. She glanced around her little corner of the table. It had become frosty yesterday after none of them had gotten a date. They were competing—silently. Adele, Sirena, Amber, Taylor and Rory all had their eyes on Prince Ethan. In fact, as Nat looked around the room, she realized they all did. Every girl either looked at him, or was glaring at the girls who already had dates.

"…So….you guys excited for the Report tomorrow?" Nat attempted at conversation. The girls around her moved their eyes off Prince Ethan and onto her. Finally, Amber spoke up.

"Yeah. I hope we don't have to talk or anything, though. My maids have been sewing like mad to finish my dress."

"Mine too. I can't wait to wear it." Sirena added.

"Prince Ethan won't know who to look at, if your dresses are as gorgeous as mine!" Nat teased, relived the mood was lightening.

"Well, we all know who looks the best in an evening gown." Rory spoke haughtily, but with a slight joking manner. "Besides, all men prefer blondes. It's a fact." She tossed her own gold tresses.

Nat caught Taylor rolling her eyes across from Rory as she jammed her fork into her omelet. The brunette rarely spoke in these conversations.

"Taylor, what are you wearing?" She asked, trying to be nice. Taylor glared at her.

"Purple." Was all she provided.

"My dress is going to be a surprise." Adele piped up on the end of the table, smirking.

"It's not like the maids will have any time to sew a new dress anyway." Taylor grumbled.

"I'm going with black and gold." Sirena told them. "It's easy, and I like it."

Rory snorted. "With your red hair? Wow."

"Hey, redheads can pull off any color." Amber defended, tossing her own red-brown locks. "And Sirena can pull off _anything._"

Nat glanced at Sirena's dress. It was true. She even looked good in a dark blue metallic mini dress.

"Just beware of Mackenzie." Nat cautioned. "Gracie told Nicole that after her date went so well, something happened to the dress her maids were working on for the Report, and one of Gracie's maids thinks she saw one of Mackenzie's with it."

"That girl is a stuck up brat." Rory complained. Nat wrinkled her brow. Rory usually hung out with Mackenzie and Cordelia.

"I thought you guys were friends." Sirena said.

"Yeah, well, Mackenzie isn't what I would call a friend." Rory stirred her coffee absent mindedly.

Before anyone could say anything else, Prince Ethan stood up, shooting a glare at Prince Wesley. The girls went dead silent, and everyone riveted their eyes on him. His ears turned red, and he slowly pushed in his chair.

"Lady Amber?" He inquired.

Nat watched Amber's eyes grow wide and her lips parted.

"Y-yes?" She asked in a shaky voice.

"How would you like to go on a date with me this afternoon?"

…

Amber could hardly contain her excitement. She was going to see a movie with Prince Ethan! She looked at the clock on the wall. Sometimes, Sophia's lectures were worse than school. She smoothed her outfit, one she had designed for her maids to sew. It had a cream colored bodice part, embellished with rhinestones on the sweetheart neckline and along the waist. The skirt part was a dark caramel color, and delicate tulle. It was long in some parts, and short in others, almost like elegant rags. It was innovative, and fun, and she loved it. She caught Mackenzie glaring at her, and remembered Nat's story with something akin to terror. She stole Gracie's dress. What else could she do?

There was a knock at the door to the Woman's Room, and Amber grinned. A maid entered.

"Lady Amber." She requested. "Prince Ethan is waiting."

Ignoring the glares, Amber stood up, and exited quickly. Her taupe heels clicked loudly, and if looks could kill, she would have been dead by now. She didn't breathe freely until the door closed behind her.

But her heart skipped a beat when she saw who was waiting for her. Prince Ethan was already turning red, and he hadn't even spoken to her yet. He wore black dress pants, and a white dress shirt, accompanied by a black vest and a royal blue tie, tucked in smartly. Amber tucked a strand of hair back behind her ear. Why did princes have to be so good looking?

"Lady Amber." He said, bowing slightly. Amber curtsied quickly, but she couldn't ignore being called "Lady". It made her uncomfortable, like she needed to act like a queen already.

"You don't have to call me Lady." Amber told him. Ethan stuffed his hands in his pockets, and studied the ground very carefully. "It makes me feel like someone I'm not. I may have been a Two, but I'm not a One."

She wanted to tell him the crux of the matter. She had never been one to beat around the bush with her emotions. Ethan nodded slowly. "And if you don't mind, can I just call you Ethan? All the prince business gets in the way."

"Um. Sure." Ethan mumbled.

"So, do you still want to see a movie?" Amber asked.

"If you want to." Ethan spoke quickly. Amber nodded.

"I'd love to." She always thought watching movies on dates was romantic. Still, it brought back painful memories. John had always taken her to the movies, because it was dark and no one would see him with her. "Where is it? This place is huge."

"It's downstairs. Next to the room where we do the Reports. My parents had it made for Andrew and Christine's engagement announcement. Christine loves movies." Ethan told her, the most he had said all day. He eased his hands out of his pockets. "Uh…shall we?" He gestured to the staircase. Amber grinned, and linked her arm through his. Ethan's face flamed again, and they began walking down the massive hall to the stairs.

Even in her heels, Amber felt cute and dainty next to Ethan's tall frame as they went down the stairs to the basement. Amber was sure that _basement _was not the right word to describe it in a palace, but she couldn't think of anything else.

"Random question." She blurted out. "If you could do anything else besides being a Prince, what would you do?"

Ethan chuckled softly. "No one told me girls ask all these philosophical questions on dates."

"I was making conversation!" Amber defended dramatically. "Besides, girls are smarter than you think!" She lifted her chin into the air in an imitation of some high ranking noble. Ethan chuckled again, and Amber's giggles joined his. She liked it when he laughed. It made her feel…good. Like someone actually had taken notice of her.

"Well, if you must know…I would defiantly get out of here. I want to see the world, and not just be stuck on this gilded platter all my life."

"Have you ever left?"

"Oh yeah, sure. Plenty of times. I've gone with my dad during conflicts and after crisis's, to make speeches and stuff. Diplomatic trips."

They reached the bottom of the stairs, and Ethan was beginning to open up more. The heavenly smell of buttered popcorn filled Amber's nose. _Must be getting close! _

"So that's where we film the Reports?" She asked, as they passed a room the size of a gymnasium. The two doors were open, and maids were cleaning the already spotless room, and some camera people were fiddling with the equipment. It looked familiar, the same room Amber had seen every Friday night.

"Yup. That's the place." Ethan said, nodding.

"Please tell me we're not getting interviewed or anything." Amber half-begged.

"Not this time. I think next week. They usually surprise me."

"Oh great!" Amber wailed. "I just know I'm going to throw up or trip or something."

"Yeah, you and me both." Ethan looked down at her. "Why does it freak you out so much? You seem like…I don't know, an extrovert."

"I have terrible stage fright. I can talk to anyone like this, but when I'm in front of lots up people, I just shake and sweat and I can hardly speak. It's terrible. I've always wanted to be a singer, but I wouldn't be able to handle it."

"I think you could do anything you wanted." Ethan said softly.

Amber didn't have much time to ponder the statement, as he opened a glass door, ushering Amber into a movie theater half the size of the one she always went to back in Dominica. The walls were dark wood paneling with red insets, to match the plushy red velvety chairs, and the gold and red carpeting. There was even a crimson and gold curtain over the screen. They sat down in the middle row, and the lights dimmed. A maid brought them typical movie theatre faire. The movie was a romantic comedy, one that Amber remembered seeing trailers for before leaving home. She guessed it was still in theaters now.

Still, it was almost impossible to focus on it. Ethan's arm kept brushing hers on the shared armrest, and he seemed nervous the whole time. About halfway through the movie, though, he casually slipped his arm over her shoulders. Amber practically jumped, it surprised her so much. It was electrifying, to be so near to him. She peeked at him, and saw his face was flaming, probably as much as hers.

Still, she reached for his hand and leaned back against his arm, feeling safe and maybe even loved.

…

**Okay, that's a long one! Do you guys like Amber and Cordelia? What about some of the other girls I included? Next chapter will be the Report! **

**Tell me about your love life in a review (if you want!) I'm lonely and bored, and I need more emails in my lack of a life! Do you like the new picture for this story? Also, how do you guys who didn't answer feel about The Heir? **

***Make sure to vote in the poll in my profile!* Amber has the most votes right now, so that's why I gave her the date! Let me know who you want to see next!**

**-Shades **


	26. News

**Since you all care about my life: I'm 17. When are the hormones going to stop? I just get these random pre-teen mood swings. I just start bawling at random times during movies when I'm by myself. Like, the part that is really epic and gives you goosebumps and makes you feel alive, and I just start bawling. You know that book trailer for The One with the cover girl and some lines from the Elite, where she blinks a lot? I cried in that. But I usually don't cry in movies. Gah, stupid hormones. Why can't Maxon be real? *cries***

**Anyway. **zanzibaby **pointed out I called her** anzibaby **when I thank everyone for reviewing. So thank you **zanzibaby, the5SOS-YAfangirl, delovlies, 4Love4Love4, **and **mnbvcxz-xx**! **

**And **delovlies, w**ho pronounces Maxon wrong. I would give an example, but I can't type it. **

**So this is the Report. I'm reverting back to Nat and Nicole's POV's, since it's easier and we haven't heard from them in a while! Nat's is much longer, but most of it is narration that doesn't have much to do with her, since that's just how it worked out. **

…

Nicole smoothed her hands over her gown. Tonight, all of Illea would see her—live. She had to stand out. Her maids had created a gorgeous gown. It was an empire waist, the strapless top a sweetheart neckline and a soft silvery cream color. The long, flowing skirt was a blueish lavender, swirling around her cream colored pumps. Her hair was pulled away from her face, with still loose. Her maids had worked their magic, and for once, her curls weren't frizzy. She still wore dark, dramatic eyeliner, but had paired it with eye shadow the same color as her skirt with it.

With one final glance in the mirror, Nicole took her leave. Sophia no longer required that they all leave and go places together, instead quizzing them during the day on the palace layout. Her 'classes' were impossibly boring, ranging from tasteful fashion and makeup choices, to etiquette and manners, to the history and government of Illea, to self-evaluations, to hosting functions, anything. Nicole could care less about most of it. She had no intention of being Queen. Once she made it to the Elite, and became a Two, she could leave.

While most of their free time restricted itself to socializing and entertaining themselves in the Woman's Room, they sometimes had free time in their room. Other than the dining room, the Woman's Room, their own rooms, and tonight, the Report room, they weren't allowed to go anywhere else unless accompanied by Prince Ethan or some other royal. Whenever Nicole was given free rein in the Woman's Room, she usually talked to Autumn, or Gracie.

She had to admit she was a _little _jealous of Gracie getting the first date, even though she had no intention of winning the Selection.

Autumn, on the other hand, was fascinating to talk to. She had been born a two, and was training as a dancer. Her mother had died when she was twelve in a freak car accident. Two years later, she had ran away from her turned abusive father, and found work as a Six, since she was able to forge documents with money stolen from her father. She had managed to support herself, and had continued to pursue her dancing and took up drawing as a hobby. Although somewhat guarded, especially about the details of her past, she was bluntly sarcastic, and stubborn to a point, and Nicole enjoyed spending time with her. She would have hung out with Nat more, but her sister always seemed to be talking to someone. She enjoyed the company of many of the girls, but mostly Nicole saw her with Cora, Amber, Sirena, and even Rory, when she wasn't with Mackenzie and Cordelia.

Nicole walked toward the stairs to the main level, following Rory in a hot pink getup, and Adele, wearing a stand out white dress, with a dropped waist and a halter style top covered with sequins on the straps. She heard footsteps behind her, and saw Meagan step out of her room, dressed in a bright lavender and silver gown, her blonde hair swept up. Nicole smiled automatically, and complimented her."

"I like your dress."

"Thank you." Meagan said, brushing her bangs out of her eyes. "Are you excited for the Report?"

"To be honest, I'm terrified we're going to have to say stuff! I know I'll make a fool of myself." Nicole admitted.

"Yeah, I know. All of Illea will be watching tonight! Our families will see us, and all of our old friends and boyfriends and stuff."

Nicole smiled to herself. Not _all _of her family would be watching. Nat would be in the same room, seeing it happen right in front of her. And for some reason, it gave her comfort.

…

Nat entered the familiar room. Well, she had never physically been in here before, but she had seen it every Friday, on the Report. Except now, she was actually here. Her parents would see her, Jason, Eva, and Lea would see her, even Ben would see her. She hurried quickly to her assigned seat, arranged behind the royal family on tiers. Like in the dining room, she was in between Sirena and Rory, neither of whom had arrived. She waved to Cora behind her, and looked for Nicole, but she hadn't arrived.

Nat nervously smoothed her straightened hair, and ran her hands down the fitted part of her dress. Like all the other girls, it was extravagant and eye catching. Instead of bright colors, however, Nat had gone with black, white, and silver. The top part was white, with black detailing, fitted tightly to her hips and thighs, with a dipping sweetheart neckline. In a mermaid style, it went down to the floor in white, but was overlaid with black and silver tulle at random angles. It had been paired with black stilettos, sparkly black eye shadow in addition to some eye liner and mascara, and a bright pink lipstick. Her hair still was straight, and loose.

She saw Rory enter, and at the other end of the tiered seating, Mackenzie stood up with a shriek. Their dresses were practically identical. Mackenzie's was a light shade of hot pink, with a slit up the thigh and silver embellishments. Rory's was dark hot pink, with a ruffled skirt sporting the same thigh high slit and silver embellishments. Even physically, they resembled each other. Mackenzie was a strawberry blonde, and Rory a platinum blonde, with spray-tanned skin and globs of makeup. Rory wore her hair curled and gathered to the side, and Mackenzie had hers loose, but other than that, they were practically twins.

"You-! You-!" Mackenzie sputtered. "That's _my _dress!"

"You told me you were wearing black!" Rory cried.

"Can't a girl change her mind?" Mackenzie wailed. She jumped up and stormed to the door, presumably to change, but Sophia stopped her, shooing in the last few girls and yelling at everyone to get to their seats. Nat sighed in relief, seeing Nicole wearing the total opposite of her own dress***. She waved, and Nicole waved and went to her seat.

Rory stomped up the sides and sat down next to Nat with a huff, the skirt falling to the side and revealing plenty of skin. Sirena settled in on the other side, wearing a nude and black dress with a tapered hem, and halter style sleeves, a gauzy drape over her arms. As usual, makeup was piled on her face, and her red hair was curled to perfection.

"I hope we don't have to say anything!" She whispered to Nat. "I would die!"

"I know!" Nat whispered back, grinning.

The royal family entered then, and there was a flurry of activity and the swish of fabric as the twenty four girls left stood and curtsied.

"They always look so beautiful!" Rory exclaimed under her breath.

"They're royalty." Nat joked.

King Jackson looked sharp in his black suit coat, with a starched white shirt and a blue tie. Queen Francesca smiled warmly, nodding to the girls. She wore a trumpet style steel blue gown, with long gauzy sleeves and neckline, her russet curls piled on top of her head. Prince Andrew wore a light blue suit and a red tie, his arm—as usual—entwined around Princess Christine's waist. The blonde was arrayed in an empire waisted light pink ball gown, dotted with springy flowers. Prince Ethan drew many stares and longing sighs and grins, wearing dark gray, and looking petrified. Prince Wesley wore light gray, his suit jacket notably absent, only his vest over his black dress shirt.

A few moments late, Princess Michelle followed at a harried clip. Although her dark hair usually resided in wild curls, tonight it had been straightened. She wore a black mermaid style gown, the bodice covered with feathery designs. Her makeup seemed to be hastily applied, and while usually she wore lipstick, she hadn't worn any tonight, and she seemed stressed. She took her seat in between next to Ethan and Wesley, and her mother, the queen. Queen Francesca gave her a look but Michelle just scowled.

Sophia clapped her hands. "Okay, everyone! We're live in one minutes!" Everyone meant all the remaining Selected girls, the royals, plus the advisors and legislators on either side of the chairs for the royalty and the tiered seating for the girls, plus two seats off to the side for Sophia and Taren. "Here's the schedule. The king will speak, and then Senator Abbot, and then any time remaining will be for the Selection. Taren will interview Prince Ethan, but ladies, be prepared, especially if you've gone out with him." Sophia hurried over abruptly to the camera crew, and Nat saw Amber and Gracie looks go to something of terror. However, they quickly pasted on smiles, because it was starting.

Nat sat up straight, and smoothed her hair one last time. All around her, the girls were fixing their gowns, checking their hair, and doing other last minute primping. And then, the lights were on, and the anthem was playing, and the cameras were flashing. King Jackson stood up, straightening his suit lapels and walked stoically to the podium. It was different, sitting behind him, instead of seeing what the cameras saw.

"Citizens of Illea. I come to you with saddening news." King Jackson began stoically. "Following the takeover of the province of Yukon, we now have reports that the governor, in fact, has been assassinated, as well three federal employees working in the capital Service Office. The governor's wife has presumably escaped, along with 24 missing citizens that are unaccounted for. We also have reports of attacks at various other Service Offices, including Sonage, Belcourt, Dakota, and Atlin." Nat saw Elvira, Hana, Cora and Gracie look frightened, and glance at the girls around them. This was all news to them.

"In addition, we have several reports of increased rebel activity, the most since they have begun their rebellion less than a year ago. They continue to keep their attacks on Service Offices, and not on private citizens. Therefore, we will be temporarily closing all Service Offices in Illea, to protect our employees. Business usually done through the Service Office will be briefly suspended."

Nat tuned out the rest of what he and one of the senators said afterwards, mostly about the budget and taxes and international affairs. She had no idea it had gotten this bad. The rebellion had just started late last winter, and had been more of a verbal thing. Even when they had captured Yukon, the Selection had been so pressing, it kind of slipped her mind. What if her family was attacked? The thought made her stomach turn.

Taren startled her out of her reverie. The announcer nodded to King Jackson as sauntered to the now empty podium. "As you all know, the Selection began a week ago. And we're already down to twenty four." He swept his arm behind him, to the girls. "Miss Saskia Buchannan, Miss Ava Rotham, Miss Audra Jepson, Miss Erica Carter, Miss Elly Olsen, Miss Alana Harowski, Miss Ruby Larson, Miss Summer Leean, Miss Lilly Carter, Miss Juniella Alonzo, and Miss Alexina Lee all went home after initially meeting Prince Ethan. He turned, and marched over to where Ethan sat. "Any comments, your highness?"

Ethan, practically crimson, cleared his throat. "I just didn't feel I connected with these girls, and I didn't want to waste their time and get their hopes up." He said awkwardly.

"Have you, as you said, connected with any of these girls still here?" Taren asked, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Uh, yes. I have gone out with several of them."

"Which ones?"

"Um, Gracie Luna, Katherine Page, Elvira Entrinken, Hana Piper, Bryn Harris, Tatiana Sarvey, Cordelia Whitney, and Amber Autumns…"

"Well, then!" Taren exclaimed. "Let's see what they thought about it, shall we?" He practically dashed up the risers, stopping at Gracie.

"Lady Gracie, did you enjoy your date with Prince Ethan?" Taren asked, beaming. He held the microphone out to her.

"Oh yes!" Gracie beamed, but her voice was soft.

"What did you kids do?" He raised his eyebrows teasingly.

"We went horseback riding, and raced through the gardens." Gracie bit her lip, her smile radiant.

"Who won?" Taren again held out the microphone.

"I won once, and he won the second time." Gracie half-giggled.

Taren turned to Tatiana, sitting next to Gracie. "What about you, Lady Tatiana? What did you do on your date?"

"Well, Prince Ethan gave me a tour of the palace." Tatiana said confidently, smoothing her peach colored dress. "And we talked for a while."

"Did he tell you any secrets?" Taren leaned slightly closer to her, and spoke slightly softer.

"No this time." Tatiana said, smiling playfully.

Taren talked to the other girls who had gone on dates, and Nat couldn't help but feel jealous. She didn't really know _what _to feel for the Prince, but she had liked talking to him in their interview, and wanted to talk to him again.

Next, Taren interviewed some of the royals. Queen Francesca spoke on what a delight it was to have all these lovely girls in the palace, and how bittersweet it was to see her second son choose a wife. Prince Andrew and Princess Christine reminisced about their own Selection, and vehemently denied the tabloid rumors of their divorce, which seemed to pop up every other week. When asked about being jealous of his older brothers, Prince Wesley boldly admitted that he was "all but drowning in it" but didn't hate them yet.

"Well, Illea, we are almost out of time, but I have some special news for you all. There have been many rumors, but we wanted to make it official. When she turns twenty one, our beloved princess Michelle will be officially engaged to Prince Orlando Vittorio of Italy!"

He stopped for applause, mostly from the Selected girls, and the advisors and family members. Nat couldn't help but notice the fakeness of Michelle's smile, nor her lack of enthusiasm.

Taren gave his closing comments for the Report, and almost as soon as it had begun, it was over, and Nat had survived her first Report. The lights came down, and everyone stood up.

Even though she was at the palace of Illea, Nat couldn't help but feel a strange camaraderie in the air as everyone around her stretched. It was like surviving another year of high school, or something like that.

_No matter what happened, I'm glad I came here. _

…

**Yay! Sorry that took so long, I've been really really busy! I won't have much time next week either, so sorry! This wasn't my best work, either. But I would still love to hear your thoughts! Every update, I feel like I lose a reviewer! I'm still doing dates, but they will be sprinkled in with stuff (like this) to move the plot along. **

**Don't forget to vote in the poll! Every update, I will give you an additional chance to vote. I know it's hard, but please try not to vote for your own character. Even if you don't have a character, you can still vote! (Please do!) **

**-Shades**


	27. Secret Meeting

**Well, I decided to post this. I was writing it randomly with no intention of posting it, but I think it helps explain some things I introduced last chapter. It will be a sub-plot, but I probably won't write much in Michelle's POV anymore, but I still wanted to post this. I copied all you guys writing these syoc stories and caved and did a magazine article (loosely based on the poll) but **devolies **requested it! Thanks to you guys for reviewing: z**anzibaby, mnbvcx-xx, majestictales, TheGirlWithTheRainbowTattoo, the5SOS-YAfangirl, 4Love4Love4, fairy not princess, Demigod-Gallagher-Selected, delovlies **plus my new reviewer, Guest Ash! Thanks guys! **

**Song Credit: "Faster Gun" Little Big Town**

…

Michelle's footstep echoed loudly down the main corridor of the third level, where she and the rest of the royal family kept to themselves. A smile tugged at her lips, remembering her, Wesley, Andrew, and Ethan's childhood play in the wide hallways, ranging from bicycles and roller skates to epic games of tag and hide and seek. Now, though, the palace had been invaded twice by too many girls, and Michelle was soon to be packed up and shipped off to Italy to marry a man she barely knew. She entered her room, glad to finally have some peace and quiet. She had dismissed her maids for the night before leaving to film the report. She was twenty, definitely old enough to know how to take a bath and change her own clothes.

Of course, some of the girls vying for Ethan's heart were so young, she doubted they couldn't get on without their maids. They had long since begun to annoy her.

She wandered through her suite of rooms, the sitting room, the parlor, the office, the bathroom and closet, her bedroom, and the private dining room. It was nearly eleven, he should be here by now. She stepped into the hallway, looking both ways. Seeing no one, she hurried to the small utility room at the end of the hallway, wincing at the squeak of the never-used hinges. A chemically, musty smell greeted her. Her heels echoed ominously on the cheap tile, and she stepped carefully behind a water heater, holding her fitted black gown away from the dust. It was rather humbling, to see this closet. The palace was a gilded, beautiful place, but to see a common utility closet by the servant's staircase put it all in perspective. She turned the rusted knob at the half sized door behind the water heater, and entered a sort of attic. Several old boxes of old things, and some chewed through dead cables lined the drafty space, as well as the ever present mouse droppings. Michelle ducked in, shutting the door softly. He wasn't here yet.

A second later, she heard the outer door to the utility room open, and she heard the familiar footsteps, full of confidence and self-assurance. The door to the storage room opened, and David entered.

Before he could even say hello, she practically launched herself at him, flinging her arms around him. He kicked the storage room door closed with his foot. Michelle lost herself in that kiss. With everything she had pent up for the last few weeks in his absence, she kissed him. He was equally urgent, his hands tracing her spine through her gown, and tangling into her hair. When they moved to the lacings in the back, she pulled back, breathless.

"I missed you so much." She whispered. It wasn't Shakespeare or anything, for a girl who hadn't seen her love in weeks, but her brain was still a little foggy from the heated kiss. David was a simple guard, who would never be worthy enough for the only blood princess of Illea. One dance at the Winter's Ball last year was all it took for them to have an excuse to be together. He had been part of her protection force, and she always requested him to accompany her on rides, and stand outside her door at night. Their relationship had secretly grown, and she was always finding excuses to be around him. They had agreed to meet to talk in this closet-within-a-closet, but they hadn't done much talking after a few meetings. They had used Carly, Michelle's maid and David's sister to deliver messages. But the Queen had caught them embracing one night when David was supposed to be guarding her door, and had sent Carly away. Michelle had sought her out in the servant's quarters, and found out that she now worked for Amelia, one of the Selected, and the rest of the story. Michelle hadn't even known her mother had seen her.

Then, a little less than a month ago, he had been reassigned to St. George protect those dumb Selected girls when they weren't at the palace. He had worked at the airport and during their send offs, even hanging around a few extra days at one of their houses to make sure none of the increased rebel activity hurt their families.

But he was back. And it was all that mattered.

Even in the dark storage room, she could tell he looked different. A new stubble graced the skin beneath his well-defined cheekbones, and his sandy dark blonde hair was much shorter than the last time she had seen him. Still, his grayish eyes ever remained the same, intense and searching her face in the dim lighting.

"I missed you to." He whispered, pulling her close. She laid her head on his chest, inhaling his familiar scent, of pine and the mint gum he always chewed.

"Did you watch the Report?" She asked, her voice muffled into his uniform.

"Of course. It's always on in the barracks."

"Did you hear the announcement?"

"Yes." His voice dropped to barely a whisper, and his grip tightened around her.

"I don't want to go." Michelle sighed. It was a simple statement, but it meant so much more. She didn't want to leave her love, and marry a prince she had met twice and hadn't liked. She didn't want to leave Illea, and her family either. "But I know I'll have to. Will you come with me?"

"I don't know. I'll do all I can to get reassigned on your protection detail." David tucked a strand of hair back out of her face. "I don't want to leave you again."

Michelle hugged him again. "I wish it was different. I wish you could just…I hate being a princess." She finished. "I want to be normal. I want to go on dates with you, and spend the whole time at the movies making out."

David smirked at her request. "Oh?" He said teasingly, leaning in to kiss again. "Like this?"

Michelle tightened her arms around his neck. "Just like that." She breathed. After a moment, she pulled away. "Except not in a closet. If you get caught, you'll be punished." She shivered at the thought. "And I'll probably never see you again."

"So what time should I pick you up tomorrow?"

Michelle swatted him lightly on the arm. "Be serious!" She complained. David kissed her again.

"Serious enough?" He said, raising his eyebrows. Michelle couldn't suppress her smile.

They talked of a few trivial things, like life at the palace, and Ethan's Selection for a while. All too soon, Michelle noticed David trying to check his watch without her knowing.

"Time to go already?" She asked, trying to keep the disappointment out of her voice.

"If I stay any longer, we risk getting caught." David shrugged.

"I know." Michelle dusted off her dress, and tried to put her hair to rights. "You go first." She said. He quickly kissed her goodbye, and then, he left. Michelle stayed in the storage room for five minutes, thinking about all the things that could have been. If she wasn't a princess, they could have been married by now. After enough time had passed, she slipped into the utility room, and then into the hallway, squinting at the sudden bright light of the well-lit corridor. She softly closed the door behind her.

"Michelle?"

Michelle started, looking up to see her sister in law, Christine, pause outside the door to her and Andrew's rooms. "What were you doing in there?"

"…the hot water wasn't working in my room. I was trying to fix it." Michelle blurted out the first thing that came to her mind, avoiding the temptation to wince. What kind of princess was she, fixing the water heater? "I think I'm just going to call one of the staff…" She finished awkwardly, hoping Christine wouldn't notice the dust on her dress…or her messy hair…or her flushed complexion.

Christine gave her a quizzical look. Michelle loved having a sister, but sometimes, she tended to show up in the wrong place at the wrong time.

"Um, did you talk to Ethan?"

Christine seemed distracted enough now. "Yes. He said he would ask Nicole soon."

"Good. I think that since she's representing Yukon, it might help the crisis."

Michelle and Christine had taken it upon themselves to arrange all of Ethan's dates, much to his chagrin. Sometimes, boys just needed some help.

"We need to start planning Wesley's birthday celebration. It's going to have to be special, since one of the Selected girls has the same birthday."

"Who?" Michelle tried to keep her voice interested so Christine wouldn't remember why they were talking.

"Lissa Dove, the Seven."

"Oh. Right. Well, we can talk tomorrow." Michelle was suddenly exhausted, and felt more like throwing a pity party by herself than planning parties. She stepped closer to her room, but Christine jumped in front of her.

"You're hiding something." Christine said knowingly. "That's the face of a girl in love."

"What are you talking about?" Michelle mumbled the lame excuse.

"I smell boy." Christine tipped her chin in the air rather triumphantly. "What were you doing in the closet again?"

"I told you. And it's just Ethan's new cologne. I had to sit next to him for the filming." Michelle said the first thing she thought of.

"Uh-huh." Christine gave a skeptical nod.

"Yeah." Michelle nodded quickly. "Um. Good night." She quickly slipped into her room, her face flaming.

She decided there was only one thing for it. Several minutes later, she was submerged up to her chin in the huge bathtub in her even huger bathroom, her hair pinned haphazardly up, the bath water steaming. She flipped open a magazine, one of those trashy celebrity gossip ones that usually had her at her worst moments plastered across a two page spread. Thankfully, that was one good thing about the Selection. They distracted the paparazzi. Usually, where talentless singers and actors graced the pages, the magazine had done a whole issue on meeting the Selected. Bored, Michelle scanned the pages, looking for interesting tidbits. After all thirty five had been discussed, there was a place where the editors had given their opinions on who was going to win. _This should be interesting. _

Personally, Michelle had no idea on who her brother would pick, because once she had hit thirteen, she had stopped playing with him and Wesley and Andrew. At fifteen, she gone to tour the world with her mother for a six months and then had studied in France for two years, even though she was a princess, and basically only had to look pretty the rest of her life. She barely knew them anymore. Still, she had a few girls in mind she wouldn't mind having as a little sister. She scanned the spread, not surprised to see only the upper castes represented, and the write-up shallow and fashion focused.

_Sirena Mastrano. Daughter of the Midston governor and fashion icon Katherine Blair, beautiful and talented model, volleyball player, the list goes on and on. This stunning redhead's intrigue and caste Two make us think she will go far in this competition. Even early in the completion, she has shown she can wear any dress, no matter the color or the cut. Sirena is very passionate about life, and we would love to see her win Prince Ethan's heart. _

_Gracie Luna. After fainting upon meeting our beloved Prince, Lady Gracelyn—better known as Gracie—scored the first date and confessed on the Report to have beat him in a horse race. She is sugar sweet, not to mention gorgeous, already a favorite among Illea. She doesn't need hiked hems or plummeting necklines to show off her beauty, either, and being a Three doesn't hurt her chances. She loves baking and horses, and it isn't hard to see her as our next princess of Illea. _

_Mackenzie Parker. Prince Ethan would do well with this stunner by his side. We all know her as the host of the Angeles News, and she is renowned for her looks. She is a very powerful choice in the competition. We all heard the Queen gush about her kindness and spirit on the Report, and it comes as no surprise. She handles herself beautifully in all circumstances, and if we were to guess, we'd say she has the next date! _

_Nicole Rosalyn. While Nicole is only a Four, she is a symbol of patriotism. Randomly Selected from Kent, she represents Yukon, the province currently in the hands of the rebels. In a surprising turn of events, she is actually the twin sister of Kent's Natalia Rosalyn, but its fun to see them making their own identities. Nicole shed her brunette locks for a more caramel blonde, and it looks great on her. She loves ballet, and we imagine she and Princess Christine get along quite well! _

_Amber Autumns. If you haven't checked this emerging fashion designer's label out, do it now! We love it! The redheaded Two is certainly a strong contender. During her first meeting with Prince Ethan, the two couldn't stop smiling. She also managed to already secure a date! She designs all her clothing while she is at the palace, and we're hoping she releases them for sale soon, because we love them!_

_Adele Warren. The lowest caste on our list, Adele is a Five, but she can't help but love her! She is a dancer/actress in live theatre productions, and it certainly shows! Adele is dramatic and vivacious, and would be a good pick for Queen. She has already shown her signature style to be vintage, from her lipstick and Old Hollywood hairstyles, to her 1930s Era dresses. She was excited to come to the palace with fellow actress Felicity Weaver, and we're so jealous of her dancer's figure! _

…

**Don't forget to review, vote, and check my profile for a link I put up thanks to **the5SOS-YAfangirl **on my reference Powerpoint, where you can see pictures of the girls and their outfits and stuff! Time to go fail a Physics test!**

**-Shades**


	28. Tumble and Fall

**Hi guys! Sorry this took forever, I've been busy, and had some slight writer's block, but I have today off. Thank you Veterans! By the way, that physics test I thought I failed, I actually got an A! Who doesn't love partial credit? (Thanks **mnbvcxz-xx, the5SOS-YAfangirl**, and** 4Love4Love4!)

**My love life (or lack thereof) totally inspired this chapter. I can never decide how I feel about certain boys. Or figure out why I even like them. Yup. **

**Thank to these lovely lovelies: the before mentioned** mnbvcxz-xx, the5SOS-YAfangirl, and 4Love4Love4, plus zanzibaby, delovlies, majestictales, TheGirlWithTheRainbowTattoo,** and **Demigod-Gallagher-Selected.

…

Ethan pulled his horse down to a bouncy walk, releasing a deep sigh. Back to another day of being a prince. Sure, there were a lot worse things he could be doing, but still, some days, it sucked.

Like recently. Sure, he liked Amber, but as for Cordelia, he wished he could eliminate her. Except she was a Two, and he would get way too much hate over that. Plus, he needed to figure out something to do to stop the rebellion, and there was always squabbles with the legislatures to solve.

It was Saturday, usually when his parents met with important people and he hid in his room catching up on princely duties and paper work. He had decided to sneak in a ride first. Ethan stopped his horse outside of the stable on the gravel pathway, and dismounted. He led Tiger into the stables, and into his large stall. As usual, he untacked the horse himself, and was just going to the tack room to put away the saddle when he spied his two sisters coming down the main aisle of the stables.

Christine, actually his sister-in-law, wore a long tan colored riding dress, with a fitted cream jacket, her blonde curls braided back. Michelle wore a similar outfit, except dark green. They each led a mount, chatting quietly, but looked up when he came out of Tiger's stall.

"You didn't forget about your date with Nicole, did you?" Michelle said, not bothering to greet him first. "You have like two hours. Do you know what you're even doing?"

Ethan froze. _Crap. _He had totally spaced and forgotten about the attempt to rally the country and date the girl representing Yukon. He had to think fast. There was no way he was admitting to them he had forgotten.

"…of course not." He said lamely. "And I don't need your help either. It's my Selection. I can handle it without all the nagging."

Michelle and Christine looked at each other and giggled.

"Sure you can." Michelle said, her tone snarky. The girls left, and Ethan handed his horse off to the nearest groom, and hurried as fast as he could back inside, at least as fast as one could go without looking suspicious and forgetful.

He had written a note to Nicole last night after the Report, asking her out on a date today at three, and he had less than two hours to plan something that would appease the people. He had to make sure the camera crews got some footage, because this date was strategic. When he had interviewed Nicole, they both had been too shy to talk much, and it had been pretty awkward. He would have much preferred one of the other girls-Sirena, Adele, or maybe Meagan. Still, duty was duty. He just had to think of something. Michelle and Christine had been planning the activities for him, but he had told them last night he would handle it, and was now seriously regretting it. Why did women have to be so complicated?

Well, if there was someone he could ask to explain their mysterious ways, it was his brother, Andrew. He had already been through the Selection once, and although Ethan was usually annoyed by Andrew's loud egotistical cockiness, his older brother knew a lot about women.

Ethan knocked on the door to Andrew's office, and the door was yanked open a few seconds later.

"What." Andrew said lazily, leaning against the door frame.

"I need your help." Ethan said quickly. Andrew smirked knowingly.

"What for?"

"Um, I need to plan a date. I asked Nicole out, and I forgot about it, and I have like two hours."

"Ask Christine. Or Michelle." Andrew moved to close the door.

"Yeah, no. I can't, because I told them I didn't forget."

"Well, go tell them you _did _forget." Andrew closed the door, but Ethan quickly jammed his foot so the door couldn't close all the way.

"Please. I really need your help. This has to be a good date, to appease the people, since Nicole is representing Yukon."

Andrew smirked in a very annoying manner. "Wait, let me get this straight. You need my help."

"Yeah." Ethan hated it when Andrew did this. He was always trying to assert his dominance and just be generally annoying.

"How badly do you need my help?"

"Very badly. How about you just tell me what you want me to say, and I'll say it already?" Ethan grumbled.

"Okay fine. I'll help you." Andrew stepped out of his room, socking Ethan on the shoulder in his version of fun. "First, what are you kids going to do?"

"I told you already. I have no freaking idea."

"Well, girls like romantic stuff, like picnics and stuff. And do something you haven't done with any of the other girls."

"I already took Katherine on a picnic, though."

"Where?"

"In the gardens."

"So take her to a picnic on the roof."

"The roof? Why? It's just a bunch of bird crap and the guard's cigarettes."

"That's what we have maids for. C'mon."

Fifteen minutes later, Andrew had already handled everything, and Ethan could only watch, half amazed, but mostly annoyed. They were cleaning the roof up, and an elaborate picnic was being prepared.

"Dude, just watch and learn. You don't have to do everything yourself." Andrew clapped him on the back, and turned to go. "Anything you want to say to me?"

"Um. Thanks." Ethan managed, gritting his teeth.

"Anytime, bro." Andrew sauntered off. Ethan sighed, and went back to planning everything. Nearly an hour later, everything was ready, thanks to the staff.

…

Nicole took a nervous breath, watching her reflection in the mirror. Even though they were supposed to be in the Woman's Room on Saturdays, Sophia had given her permission to get ready for her date, and Nat had managed to get out of it too. Her maids had dressed her in a short, flouncy pastel blue dress, with delicate silver sleeves with a lacy design. Her hair was pulled back away from her face with a tiny braid on each side, woven together on the back, the bottom curled in tiny, perfect curls. She wore three inch matching blue open toed- heels with a little glittery flower on the toe. Her maids were applying her make-up, lighter than normal.

"You nervous?" Nat asked, perched on Nicole's bed. This was probably the first time she had actually hung out with her sister since the Selection.

"Um, yeah! I've never been on a real date before!" Nicole's voice came out high pitched with nerves.

"Well…" Nat began, "Just, you know, be yourself. Don't try too hard or anything. Also, don't try to be too flirty. You want to be actual friends, not just boyfriend and girlfriend. Does that make sense?"

"I think so." Nicole hesitated. She didn't want to bring up the topic of Ben around Nat.

"So what are you guys doing?" Nat asked.

"I honestly have no idea." Nicole fingered the invitation he had delivered to her last night. "He just said he would meet me at my room at three."

Nat glanced at the clock. "You have like five minutes, then."

The maids put the finishing touches on her makeup, and squirted her wrists with the Tea Rose perfume.

"There. You're ready." Ashley told her beaming. A second later, a knock sounded on the door. Nat squealed, and dragged Nicole's maids into the bathroom where the Prince couldn't see them, giving Nicole an enthusiastic wave before ducking out of sight.

Nicole tentatively opened the door, all of her sister's advice leaving her head immediately. Prince Ethan stood before her, dressed in black slacks, and a deep blue button down shirt, smiling bashfully, hands stuffed—as usual—in his pockets.

"Lady Nicole." He bowed slightly. Nicole bit her lip, not expecting to feel so nervous. What did it matter? She wasn't here to fall in love.

"Prince Ethan." She murmured, taking his offered arm. They walked down the corridor, neither of them saying anything. Nicole felt her face heat up. Why couldn't she be like Nat, and always have something funny or cute to say?

They neared the staircase, but instead of going down, Prince Ethan led her up to the next set of stairs—to the third floor. Nicole swallowed, and tried to think of something to say. _Wait, I don't want to make him think I'm interested. I'm not. _Nicole kept repeating this to herself, trying not to feel nervous or excited, but she couldn't help it.

"Where are we going?" She finally asked.

Ethan cleared his throat. "Um, to the roof. If that's okay."

"That sounds…nice."

With their conversation effectively over, they continued in silence. They passed the main hallway that was almost larger than the second floor, which could house fifty guests, while the third floor only housed the royals. The stairway continued, although it wasn't as wide or grand as the lower ones. At the top, there was a plain door, and Nicole realized this was probably for the guards or something. Ethan opened the door for her, and Nicole stepped outside. A gale of wind whipped her dress all around, and sent her hair into a frenzy. Dark clouds ominously settled on the horizon, and the fresh scent of coming rain filled the air. A small table had been set up, but the table cloth whipped around.

"I think it's going to rain." Nicole pointed out, holding out her free hand to test for sprinkles.

"Do you want to go inside?" Prince Ethan asked, frowning.

"No, it's okay. It's not raining yet." Nicole said quickly, not wanting to hurt his feelings. They took their seats, and Nicole reached for the pitcher of lemonade on the table. Before she could fill her glass, however, thunder rumbled quite close, and lightning split the sky. Rain began to pour down in sheets, without warning.

Nicole and Ethan both stood up quickly. Nicole reached for the plate of desserts and the glasses, trying to move everything inside before all of Ethan's hard work was ruined. She handed the things to him

"Take these inside." She commanded, not realizing she was addressing the _prince _of Illea. She picked up the vase of flowers, and a few other things.

"Just leave it, Nicole." He said, putting the things back on the table.

"Are you kidding? They'll be ruined." Nicole cried. "I can't."

Ethan grasped her arm. "It's fine. I don't care about it anyway. The maids will take care of it."

Nicole allowed him to pull her back inside, not missing how he clenched his jaw. He wrenched open the door, practically hitting the camera crew just inside. Nicole's mouth fell open, and just like their failed date, the whole thing was caught on camera. She immediately looked down at her dripping wet dress, now almost see through and clinging to her legs. Her perfect curls were in bedraggled mess, and she was sure her makeup was running everywhere. She looked at Prince Ethan, and found him calmly wringing water out of his jacket.

With disgust, she suddenly realized the whole ploy. He had set her up. Without a word, she threw the contents of the vase she was still holding at him, not caring he was already wet, and dashed down the stairs, trying to keep the tears at bay. _He knew it was going to rain! He made me look like an idiot, and they caught the whole thing on the cameras! _She realized how upset she was. _Wait, this is dumb. Why should I care? I'm not in this for falling in love. _She stopped her rapid descent. _Why would he do that, though?_ Nicole quickly pushed the thoughts away, and ran back to her room, leaving a trail of water in her wake.

Her maids didn't ask questions when she burst into the room, soaking wet, trying to stop crying. They left without questioning her request. Nicole took a shuddering breath, and slipped out of her wet clothes. She kicked off her shoes, and dug through her closet to find something comfy to put on before having to change for dinner. Of course, there was only gowns. Although usually she hadn't been an avid wearer of sweatpants back home, none of these dresses felt like her own clothes. She just wanted feel like herself for a moment. She ended up in a silky white nightgown, her wet hair pinned up off her neck. Nicole nestled herself into the small window seat she had yet to use, and leaned her cheek against the cool glass, listening to the tap of the rain of the glass, watching it slide carefully down the pane. _I still don't understand why I'm upset. I got here, didn't I? What does it matter if I don't make it to the Elite? I can marry into the Twos without it. It was just the way he did it. And what happened, I guess. _

She allowed herself a pity party for a while, but all too soon, her maids were back. They giggled incessantly, for no particular reason. They dried her hair, and swept it up, and reapplied her makeup slightly darker, topping it off with a dark burgundy lipstick. She put on a white and gold mermaid style dress, with gold filigree detailing over the torso and cap sleeves. When she was ready, she went towards the door, and opened it.

Instead of the empty hallway, like only a few hours ago, she saw Prince Ethan standing before her. _Whoa, déjà vu. _

He handed her a single white rose, his ears reddening. "I'm sorry our date went so terribly before. I'd like to make it up to you, though." By this time, his entire face was scarlet, and he looked thoroughly embarrassed. "Would you—um, would you have dinner with me?"

Nicole mentally face-palmed. All that anguish for nothing. In spite of herself, she beamed. "I would love to." She said, taking the rose. Prince Ethan smiled—one of the first genuine ones she had seen from him—and offered her his arm. Nicole took it, feeling her own face heat up. As he had done earlier, he led her upstairs, only this time, they walked down the main hallway, passing the princesses on their way to dinner. Michelle and Christine were both red faced and tittering and Michelle winked at her brother. Ethan took her up another gilded flight of stairs, this one a spiral staircase.

"This place sure has a lot of secret hideaways." Nicole pointed out.

"We're going to the observatory. You'll like it, I promise." Ethan said. They crested the stairs, and he opened the door for her, revealing a small, windowed room, complete with a table set with dinner for two.

"Is this the place you took Cordelia to?" Nicole asked, recalling the brunette's thorough description of her date to anyone who would listen.

"Yeah. I hope you don't mind."

"It's so beautiful!" Nicole gushed. Even though it was raining, it somehow made it more magical. Ethan pulled her chair back for her, and Nicole sat down. He took the chair opposite.

"I have a confession to make. I don't want to beat around the bush with you." He said.

"Okay…"

"I only asked you out since you're representing Yukon, and I thought it might appease the people. And then I forgot about our date, and I had to set the whole picnic thing up because I didn't want to admit to my sisters I forgot. Honestly, I had no idea it was going to rain."

Nicole fought against the disappointment, but it was increasingly difficult. "Oh. Well, I'm glad you're honest." It was all she could think of to say.

"Wait, I wasn't finished." Ethan's ears went red again. They seemed, at least to Nicole, to do that a lot. "My sisters told me they knew I would forget and set this whole thing up for us." He gestured to the glamourous dinner display. "But even if I could have said no, I wouldn't have. Because…" At this point, the flush spread to his face. "Well, because now that I got to know you a little better…I like you."

Nicole bit her lip. She had no idea what to say right now.

"I mean, I don't like like you, like…never mind. I'm just saying I don't view you as an obligation to go out with anymore. Does that make sense?"  
Nicole nodded. "Perfectly." She admitted. "And you're not so bad yourself." She smiled shyly at him. Now the only thing that didn't make sense was her feelings.

…

**First off, apologies, if this chapter was repetitive. There are a lot of characters like Nicole! I tried to make them all different, but when they're not, it's hard. Not that I don't love those characters, but I know some of you guys don't. Remember to vote again! I think I fixed it so you can vote again, but I don't know if it worked, so let me know! Check the powerpoint link on my profile to see Nicole's date dresses, but you'll just have to figure it out, I didn't specify. **

**Don't forget to review! If you don't know what to say, tell me what you'd like to see happen, which characters you like and don't like, anything! **

**Happy Veterans Day!**

**-Shades**


	29. Could It Be

**Hey peeps! Sorry this took a little while, I was busy reading the best Selection fanfic I've read yet. If you're like me, and you're not super thrilled about the Heir, read this! It's got all the Maxmerica you could want, and then some! It's called "After the One one-shots" but the author, **Ellie Parker, **has a good storyline for it too! READ IT!**

**Is anyone else annoyed by the sheer number of Selection SYOC stories popping up every day? Don't want to toot my own horn, since I did jump on the bandwagon a little late, but first of all, these stories usually go nowhere, and you waste time making characters. If you're not going to write it (or write it decently) don't post it! Gahh, pet peeve! **

**My reviews were few this time, so I considered rethinking some first dates for those that only review every now and then, but luckily, your character's popularity saved you. If you're not reviewing, especially if you never have, don't expect your character to stick around much longer. Still, **zanzibaby, mnbvcxz-xx, delovlies, **and **the5S0S-YAfangirl, **your characters are safe! Thanks guys! Also to my new reviewer **short shadows.** Thanks!**

…

_Lady Amelia Wilde got herself in quite a bit of trouble less than an hour after arriving to the palace. She confronted a former acquaintance, Lady Erin Rusk, who has been attending the Illean Military Academy in Labrador. Apparently, she accused Lady Erin of sabotage, and told her she had no chance whatsoever in the Selection, and several other nasty off-camera things. While both girls are still here, it's only a matter of time before Prince Ethan sends Lady Amelia home. _

Amelia threw down the magazine in disgust. One stupid little mistake. Just one, and she had blown her chance. She didn't really feel like going back down to the Woman's Room anymore. It was after lessons, and before lunch. Sophia had given them fifteen minutes of free time, and Amelia had escaped to her room, only to find a 'present' from Erin, a recent gossip magazine, one of many featuring public opinion on the Selected. She re-read the note scribbled on the front.

_Lia, just thought you might want to see how your PMS has affected your standings with Illea. Stay classy, _

_-Erin. _

A poll had showed Amelia she was at the bottom of the pack, with less than .5% of the voters, and assumed that had been her family and friends. To make matters worse, Erin had left after lessons for her first date, flaunting her long legs in a tight, glitzy, silver body-con dress. Sophia had almost had another conniption fit, seeing the hemline of Erin's dress. Still, it was a dress. She had been trying to get away with wearing pants, but Sophia had quickly put an end to that.

Amelia smoothed her dress. She had lately felt too depressed to wear anything other than black. Still, with her tan olive toned skin, and dark hair and eyes, it looked good on her. She wore a fitted black dress that went just to her knees, belted at the waist. A mock short sleeve style was made of translucent black gauze, covering the base of her throat, and her shoulders. Her maids had paired it with low black wedges.

Amelia glanced at the clock on her desk, seeing it was almost time to get going down to the dining room for yet another boring lunch. She sighed heavily, and checked her hair in the mirror before venturing out into the hallway, and down the massive staircase. Lunch was the meal most of the royals skipped, preferring to eat in their rooms, and without them watching, the other girls would put their real fronts forward. Thankfully, the six girls who sat around her were pretty nice. Felicity sat on her right, and Autumn on her left, with Dorianne across from her, and Nicole and Michaela on either side. Michaela kept most of their conversations lively, she was always talking about something. Amelia usually sought her and Katherine out in the Woman's Room, although Michaela and Katherine were already pretty close, since they were both bakers.

She arrived at the dining room, going to her seat, surprised to see all the royals in attendance today except the King, and Prince Ethan. A second glance at the other table showed her he was probably still on his date with Erin. Amelia sat down, finding her table thoroughly hanging onto Nicole's every word. At the other end, Mackenzie's face was scarlet, and her hands were in fists. Next to her, Cordelia wore a smug smile. Elvira and Gracie, who sat at the other end, rolled their eyes to one another, and whispered to each other. No doubt Gracie had already heard the story of Nicole's date. She, along with Autumn, were Nicole's closest friends.

"Did he kiss you?" Michaela asked, grinning as she leaned her chin on her propped up arm.

"No!" Nicole shrieked incredulously. "In fact, we hardly even talked. It was so unbelievably awkward at first. After a little while, it got easier, though."

"What did you guys talk about?" Felicity inquired, as the waiters arrived with their meal. As usual, it was always some kind of salad or soup for lunch. Personally, Amelia was no fan of salad, but with enough croutons and vinaigrette, it was good. She listened to the girls chatter around her, remembering how each of them were doing in the polls in that stupid magazine. Nicole was at the top, due to her popularity of representing the rebel controlled province of Yukon. Michaela was fairly high up, with Dorianne, Autumn and Felicity all with lower numbers, and then Amelia at the bottom.

The doors to the dining room burst open, and Prince Ethan stormed in, two high spots of color on his cheeks. He took his seat without a word and began eating. A moment later, Erin sauntered in, her eyes narrowed and her glittery silver eye shadow glittering. She shot a smug look at Amelia, winked at Prince Ethan, and took her seat at the other table; Rory, Bryn, and Meagan falling on her with questions.

Amelia glanced up at the royals. Princess Michelle rolled her eyes at Erin, and Princess Christine nudged Prince Andrew. The look on Prince Ethan's face told Amelia the date hadn't gone _that _well. A tap on her shoulder startled her. Amelia turned to see one of the maids she didn't know.

"Lady Amelia." The maid curtsied, and handed her a folded piece of paper, and left quickly, without an explanation.

"What is it?" Michaela asked.

"How should I know?" Amelia said playfully, unfolding the paper.

_Lady Amelia, _

_I would love to hear your side of the story, and get to know you better. I could give you an archery lesson after lunch, if you'd like. _

_Ethan. _

Amelia felt bewildered. Her? A date? At the bottom of the polls? She glanced over at Prince Ethan, who quickly looked away, his ears reddening. Amelia couldn't help but smile. He was so different from Alex, her ex who had cheated on her with Erin. Alex had been cocky and romantic, and this boy was offering to give her an archery lesson, and couldn't even look at her. Still, he glanced her way, and she gave him a nod before he could look away, holding up the note just slightly. He smiled back, ever so slightly, his whole face now red.

Mackenzie hadn't missed the exchange, however. Three seats down on Amelia's left, she looked over at Cordelia, two seats down.

"He must have asked her out! Why would _he _ask _her _out?" She squealed in an undertone, looking darkly in the direction of the royals. "He hasn't asked any of the Twos."

"You forgot me. And Amber." Cordelia pointed, matter-of-factly.

Mackenzie huffed. "Why hasn't he asked me, then?"

_ I can think of a lot of reasons. _Amelia thought to herself, giggling slightly. She nervously picked at the rest of her food until lunch was over. As usual, Mackenzie was all over Prince Ethan, fawning over him and enthusiastically complimenting him. Amelia rolled her eyes, and wondered if she should wait for him. She didn't have to.

"I need to talk to you." Princess Michelle approached her, speaking in a harried whisper. Amelia smiled, trying to be friendly, but still wondering what a princess could want from her. Then, she vaguely recalled her maid, Carly, telling her about Michelle's secret affair with Carly's brother, a guard. Michelle handed her a piece of paper—folded tightly.

"Can you give this to your maid?"

"Carly?" Amelia blurted out, without thinking. Michelle looked at her quizzically, slowly nodding. "I mean…" Amelia back peddled. "She mentioned she used to work for you, so…"

"Right." Michelle snatched Amelia's wrist, and deposited the letter so no one could see her do it. "Can I trust you not to read it? Or tell anyone else of this?"

"Of course." Amelia wondered if she should reveal that she knew what was going on. Carly had mentioned her brother had been re-assigned, but this must mean he was back. Michelle nodded tersely, and turned to go.

"Hey, wait." She faced Amelia. "I just wanted to tell you, that I know that stuff you said on camera was a flub. Erin, well, she's what I would call something not fitting for a princess to say. And if I know my brother, she won't last long, either." Michelle smiled, and her eyes shifted to someone behind Amelia. "Good luck." She said as she left. Amelia turned, finding Prince Ethan behind her, his hands stuffed in his pockets.

"Hi." He said, awkwardly shuffling his feet.

"Hi." Amelia answered back, curtsying.

"You don't have to do that…" he half mumbled.

"Does it get a little annoying?" Amelia guessed.

Prince Ethan shrugged. "Yeah. Plus, I…I don't want you guys to treat me just like a prince. I would rather just be…me, I guess."

"Well, I'll call you just plain Ethan if you'll just call me plain Amelia."

"Fair enough. So did you get my note?"

"I did. I would love to have an archery lesson." Amelia said happily. "At home, I'm the only girl, so I'm no stranger to sports. I've never done archery, though."

"I thought you might. If you don't want to, we could go horseback riding or something."

"No, this is fine." Amelia said quickly. She hadn't taken horseback riding lessons since she was little, and she didn't want to embarrass herself. Besides, Ethan had suggested archery, and she didn't want him not to enjoy himself.

They left the dining room, now empty, except for Mackenzie, watching them like a jealous cat. For a moment, neither of them said anything, and Amelia was worried her date would just be terribly awkward. They stepped out into the gardens, and Amelia tilted her face up to the sun. She hadn't been outside in nearly a week, except on her balcony, which usually was in the shade anyway.

"So you're the only girl at home?" Ethan asked abruptly.

"Yup. Well, besides my mom. She's a teacher."

"How many brothers do you have?"

"Four. Zach and Jack are twins. They're twenty three. Zach's getting his medical degree, and Jack's getting his engineering degree, like my dad. Then there's Noel, he's twenty two, and he never stops cracking jokes. He's in college, but he doesn't know what he wants to do. Theo is twenty, and he wants to become a lawyer. He's the youngest brother, but he's still older than me. He's the most mature, though. It's pretty funny."

"So you're nineteen?"  
"Proudly." Amelia said playfully, the breeze lifting her hair off her neck. They approached the archery range. Ethan showed her how to load a bow, and then helped her load her own. He fired at the target, and hit pretty close to the bulls eye. Amelia tried, but completely missed the target.

"Guess I was never meant to be a foot soldier." She joked, lowering the crossbow.

"Try again. I'll help you." Ethan said, his tone more relaxed than before. He stepped behind her, setting his arms lightly on hers, and helping her position her hands. His chest was pressed against her back, and she could feel his heart beat accelerate. "Got it?"

"Uh-huh. Just let go?" Amelia asked, her voice shaking slightly at his nearness.

"Aim at the target. Look down the arrow. Can you see it?"

"I think so." Amelia felt a flush creep up her neck. Ethan had seemed to relax more, and he didn't seem to be trying to be romantic or anything. He treated her like he would a sister or a friend, but still, she couldn't help it. She released the arrow, barely hitting the edge of the target.

"That's better, but really focus on the target." He handed her another arrow, and she strung it, not missing the boyish smile on his face as he guided her arms into position. Amelia pulled back until the string was taut, and aimed. With Ethan's hands just over hers, she couldn't help the butterflies in her stomach. It was just like a romance novel. She fired the bow, and got just on the outside of the center of the target.

"This isn't so hard!" She said, lowering the bow, and looking up at Ethan. As soon as he made eye contact, he stepped back, ears flaming red. Amelia couldn't help but feel disappointed. She set down the bow, wishing that wouldn't have been so awkward.

"So…you said in your note you wanted to talk to me." Amelia recalled, sitting on a nearby bench.

"Oh, yeah. It's about Erin. I figured since you guys knew each other before she moved, you'd be a good person to talk to about her."

"Even though I'm at the bottom of the polls?"

"What polls?" He turned to her.

Amelia tucked a stand of windblown hair out of her eyes. "Well, Erin gave me this magazine where they polled people on who to win the Selection, and I was at the bottom. I was pretty surprised you asked me out at all, to be honest."

"Let's just say I don't always agree with the people of Illea, then. You said Erin gave it to you?"

"Oh. Um, yeah. I don't think it was meant to be a present though. She was kind of a jerk about it. But how did your date go?" Amelia tried not to defame Erin too much. It wasn't her place.

"Well….it was interesting, to say the least. I'm surprised Sophia let her out with that dress on though."

"Erin wouldn't really obey her anyway." Amelia admitted. "She's pretty stubborn."

"She said you were too."

"I guess our friendship wasn't meant to be then. We fought a lot. She always said she was second to everything in my life. To my writing, to my boyfriend, everything. I tried to apologize to her about the thing on camera, but I don't know if she even read my note."

"She didn't mention it." Ethan looked uncomfortable. "In fact, after about five minutes, she didn't want to talk much anymore."

"Oh no. Did she try to kiss you?"

"She tried. I just left after that. Do you think I should eliminate her?"

The question caught Amelia off guard. Sure, her problems would go away, but did Erin really deserve that? After all, Amelia had said some pretty mean things. "Not unless you want to. It's not my place to tell you what to do." She said after a moment. "Now I wanna try to shoot that thing again." She motioned to the bow. "I will hit the bulls eye if it's that last thing I do!"

…

**Okay, so I had to do some serious thinking during school when class was too boring, and I planned out the next nine-ish chapters. After re-reading the book, I realized Maxon dated all the girls at least once for their interviews on the second Report, so the next figurative week will just be dates. I know, it gets boring, sorry! To look forward to and to motivate you to review more, next will be Sirena's date, then Michaela, then Mackenzie, then Nat, and then Adele, and then the Report, and some more stuff. I will write subsequent dates in the future, but only for good reasons, like Lissa's birthday, coming up soon! That's all for now! Let me know what you think of Amelia, and the rest of the story!**

**REVIEW!**

**-Shades **


	30. More to Life

**Hey guys! So I said some things I think hurt some people's feelings last time. I meant that I hate it when people start any SYOC in general and it never goes anywhere. If you started one, finish it, or at least work on it! It's extremely annoying to spend time creating a character, and then the story gets deleted or never goes anywhere. *steps off soapbox***

**Thanks to this wonderful bunch for reviewing! **zanzibaby, delovlies, fairy not princess, the5SOS-yafangirl, 4Love4Love4, mnbvcxz-xx, **and **majestictales**!**

**This chapter is pretty long ya'll seem to like Sirena, since she's in third place on the poll. Plus she's just an awesome, deep character!**

***Note* Again, Sirena has a major issue, and I mean in no way to make it sound cool, or promote it. If any of you struggle with it, please, talk to me. I have not personally struggled with an eating disorder, but I'm here if you need to talk 3**

…

Sirena walked into the Woman's Room later that morning, fighting against the dizziness that was pretty much always a presence now. Sophia had been called away to help the queen with some not-so-emergency, and lessons had been canceled for the day. Half of the girls in the room had clustered around Amelia, Erin, and Felicity, all pressing for the details of their dates yesterday. Erin was mostly secretive about her morning date, but Prince Ethan had given Amelia an archery lesson in the afternoon, and gone for an evening walk in the gardens with Felicity.

Adele was giving Felicity the cold shoulder, her jealous nature driving a wedge between their friendships. She usually hung out with just Felicity, but was sitting with Sirena's friends today. Sirena went to Nat, Cora and Adele and sat down. She usually hung out with just Nat and Cora, but she didn't mind Adele, since they sat across from each other at dinner.

Sirena pasted a smile on her face, hoping her friends wouldn't notice her paleness under all her makeup. The last few days had been quite struggle. Even though she wasn't modeling or anything, and she didn't exactly adore the prince, her depression was back full swing, and there was only one way to cope with that. Meals at the palace were delicious, and always plentiful, and would make her feel better for a little while. Until she would return to her room, and shoo her maids away to get rid of it all. It was awful. She knew she had a serious problem, but she didn't know what to do about it. Each attempt to try to stop failed. Either it only delayed the inevitable, or she ended up starving herself and dry heaving over the toilet while she sobbed her eyes out. Still, no one had caught on yet. She straightened her back, and smiled at her friends, joining them on one of the sofas in the corner.

"What are you so happy about?" Nat teased, elbowing Sirena as she sat down.

"Oh, I don't know. I guess it's because my maids gave me a note from the Prince…" Sirena dead-panned. If she pretend well enough, they would never suspect anything.

"He asked you out?" Cora squealed, in a voice loud for her.

"Of course!"

"That's awesome!" Nat gave her a side hug. So far, none of them had gone on a date, but Nat always seemed happy for someone when they did. She didn't seem too in to the prince. "Where are you guys going?"

"He mentioned fox hunting…my maids are furiously altering one of my gowns for riding as we speak." She didn't mention she was losing so much weight, her maids had to take in all her dresses.

"How in the world can you ride in a dress?" Adele asked, crossing her arms. "Anyway, do you think he's going to ask anyone else today? He dated three girls yesterday."

"Speaking of which…" Cora chimed in, surveying the room, "Meagan's not here."

"She must be on a date. I'll go ask Bryn." Adele jumped to her feet, and practically ran towards Meagan's best friend.

Sirena listened to the conversation buzzing around her. After a while, Rory came over and joined them for a while, when Mackenzie and Cordelia kicked her out of their gossip fest. She felt exhausted, even with the sleeping pills prescribed for her by one of Sophia's aides, and the strict curfew they observed at the palace. She was fighting against her body, and she couldn't remember the last time she had actually eaten a meal without getting rid of it afterword's. Her head ached, even with the headache pills, and whenever she stood, walked, or even shifted positions, lightheadedness over took her. Her hands shook, and she suffered bouts of nausea.

At ten, Meagan came back, happy and bubbling about her date in the music room. Sirena went upstairs to change for her date at eleven. Her maids had finished adding an extra panel of fabric to the skirt of one her dresses, a deep blue ball gown, so it would spread over her legs when she rode. She put on the dress, along with the tailored matching dark gray riding jacket, plus leggings to wear underneath, with riding boots. Her maids French braided her red hair, securing it just at the base of her skull so her curls were still visible. She just hoped she was ready. She wasn't really an avid horsewoman. She had been riding on vacations to the beach before, and twice for a photo shoot, and she'd had a few lessons as a kid, but that was it. Her maids gave her directions to the stables, where she was supposed to meet Prince Ethan. The walk seemed to take forever. She couldn't remember ever being this dizzy before, and her legs were shaky. _What if I fall off the horse? _Sirena mused. _That would be embarrassing. Plus, I'd have to make up a pretty wild excuse. _

When she arrived at the stables, Prince Ethan stood with a groom, by two saddled horses, a big gray one, and a smaller chestnut one. Sirena pasted on her smile, and lifted her head high.

"Sorry I'm late!" she called, striding confidently towards them, not bothering to offer an explanation.

"It's okay." Ethan said, his face going red. "So you know how to ride?"

"Well enough." Sirena half-lied. The groom helped her mount the chestnut mare, and then handed her the reins, leaving her to her own devices. Three other grooms brought several leashed hounds, baying and barking wildly, and the dogs were released. Sirena and Ethan followed them at a walk as they pranced around, noses to the ground, and barking.

"We can go once they pick up a scent." Ethan told her. Sirena was fine with that. She had the walking under control, but galloping? It was a lot harder than it looked, especially in a gown. Still, she wasn't complaining. The fresh air made her feel better, and Ethan sure looked fine in his rather fitted beige riding pants, and navy riding jacket, his dark hair all mussed from the breeze. She decided to start a conversation.

"So, how have your other dates gone?" She asked. The question seemed to take Ethan by surprise. Sirena winced. Now he was probably thinking she was desperate.

"Um, okay." He said.

"Is that like a good okay, or a bad okay?"

"Good…I guess. This whole Selection is kinda beyond me."

"Well, now would be the time to give you some cheesy advice: follow your heart." Sirena joked. Ethan was silent. "Sorry, I didn't mean to put you on the spot or anything." She said.

The horses continued their walk, when suddenly, one of the hounds began baying wildly, his tail wagging crazily.

"Did I miss something?" Sirena asked, tightening her grip on the reins.

"He picked up the scent." Ethan said, smiling at the prospect of a hunt. He rose slightly in the stirrups, and whistled shrilly. By then all the hounds were going crazy. "C'mon!" He cried, looking over his shoulder as he urged his horse into a gallop. Sirena had no idea what to do, but luckily, her mare followed his so fast, Sirena couldn't help the half-squeal, half-shriek from her throat. The next several minutes were pretty much pure terror as she tried not to fall off. Thankfully, her horse just followed Ethan's. It felt like forever before they finally slowed down. She looked over at her date, seeing him much more at ease, grinning boyishly, and calling the hounds, who had apparently lost the scent.

"That…was terrifying!" Sirena panted breathless from the ride. Before she could admit she lied, and had no idea what she was doing, a bout of dizziness threatened to overwhelm her. The world spun crazily. She blinked, trying to clear away the blurriness. A loud ringing intensified in her ears, and her surroundings got brighter and brighter. The next thing she knew, she was falling…falling…falling.

When she opened her eyes, her body felt numb. She was lying on the ground, on her back. Ethan had rolled her over, and had one arm wrapped around her shoulders, half lifting her up. In his free hand, he held her wrist tightly, apparently checking for a pulse. Sirena blinked. It had never gotten this bad before. Of course, usually it was only starving herself, until a trigger, when she would eat her feelings and throw it all up later. She had never gone to the stakes of purging after every meal.

"W-what…happened?" She whispered. Her brain felt drunk and sluggish.

"You fell of your horse." Ethan told her, his voice shaking. "Are you okay?" His brow was crinkled, and his neck flushed.

"Yeah. Sorry. I'm really not used to riding that fast." Sirena lied. She tried to sit up, but she was too dizzy, and collapsed again. She realized how romantic this might be, with Ethan's arms around her, but all she could focus on was trying to stay awake. She instead tried to focus on his hazel-y eyes. It wasn't working.

His arm moved around her waist, and she froze. She wouldn't even let her maids help her dress or bathe anymore, for fear that they would see how much weight she had lost and tell someone. Sure, she needed help, but still…she didn't want to get kicked out or anything.

She was now painfully aware of his touch on her pronounced hipbones. She shuddered. What man would want her now? She was hideous. She started tearing up, and quickly blinked them away. She would _not _cry.

"Let's get you back to the palace." Ethan said awkwardly. His other hand wrapped around her shoulders, and slowly, he helped her sit up. Sirena took a deep breath. Maybe he didn't notice her ribs either. He very carefully picked her up, and boosted her onto his horse. Sirena noticed the hounds were gone, but she didn't dwell on it. He mounted behind her, holding her so she wouldn't fall, and tied her mount behind his. They rode home at a walk. Ethan kept one hand on the reins, the other one supporting her. Although the Angeles air was balmy, Sirena shivered. She felt even more exhausted than before. Her eyes closed, and she was almost asleep when his voice startled her out of her reverie.

"So when's the last time you ate anything?" He said gently. Sirena inwardly winced. He had noticed. She remained silent. "Sirena, c'mon. You're almost as tall as me. I know you shouldn't be that skinny. I could feel your ribs." His tone darkened to a protective kind of anger. "And I know you didn't pass out from riding. You've been starving yourself."  
The truth sounded so ugly. Sirena fought back another wave of tears.

"That's not true. I eat. I ate this morning."

"And you throw it up afterwards. After every meal. Your maid Abigail came to me yesterday. She is very worried about you. She's noticed."

"Is that why you asked me out?" Sirena's voice came out stronger than she anticipated. "To scold me?"

"No! I didn't believe Abigail. I thought she was lying. I realize now, she's not. You're a fascinating young woman, Sirena. I don't want to see you hurt yourself."

Sirena didn't know what to say after that, so she was silent. Neither of them said anything else. He escorted her back to her room, stopping at the door. He took her hand, ears reddening.

"Get some rest. I'll have your dinner brought up to you. We can talk later."

Sirena was too exhausted to argue. She heard him instructing her maids to get her into bed, and not to let her out of their sight. He left, and her maids ushered her into the bathroom. Sirena still felt cold all over, and the warm bath did wonders. By the time she was dressed in a filmy blue nightgown, and tucked into bed, she was exhausted.

She was almost asleep when a knock at the door startled her. Abigail opened the door, beaming. Sirena could hardly believe her eyes. Prince Ethan stood before her, dressed in dark jeans and a black pullover sweater over a white tee shirt—by far the most casual she had ever seen him-followed by two maids carrying two TV dinner trays, each with a meal of pancakes, bacon, and scrambled eggs. He smiled bashfully at her, and Sirena felt tears rise again. He took the trays from the maids, and set them on her bedside table, before dismissing them. In only the light of the lamp beside her bed, she couldn't help admire him. He pulled up the chair from her desk, and situated them both with a tray.

"Promise me, you'll eat this." He said softly.

Sirena nodded. "I will. I promise." She had every intention of keep the promise. She started eating, for once feeling happy. The meal was simple, but honest, and she could feel her pain melting away. She didn't want to be like this anymore.

"You wanna talk about it?" He asked after a moment. Sirena suddenly felt the need to tell him everything.

"I never intended it to get this out of hand." She began. "But I'm a model. I'm famous. My parents expect a lot out of me. Whenever volleyball season ends at college, I sign onto a modeling contract. I've never had much problems with weight, but it's all about image there. I'm never good enough." Sirena stopped, struggling to keep from crying. No one had ever taken the time to listen to her before. "And I would get these highs. It was usually from volleyball, or a party or something. And then when that ended…I couldn't deal with it. I would drink and take pills and I even tried smoking, but nothing helped. I don't even know why I was doing it honestly." Sirena heard her voice rise into hysterics. "The pain would just be back the next day. I tried to eat my feelings, and I just needed puking it back up because I couldn't deal with it. It was the one thing I could control. I just felt like my whole life was passing me by. My mother was arranging an engagement to men I didn't even like, I hate modeling, and nothing in my life made sense. It got so bad, I almost committed suicide…"

There, the secret was out. She hadn't meant to tell him that part. It had just sort of slipped out. He immediately looked up at her, but Sirena looked away. "I'm just so…stupid!" She sobbed. "I'm killing myself, and I don't even know why." She wiped her dripping nose, knowing she must look a sight. "That's why I signed up…" She said admitted, wiping streaming tears. She felt Ethan take her hand and squeeze it.

"I won't let you." He whispered. "I'm responsible for you now, and I don't want you to end up dying on me."  
"I'm not going to." Sirena said softly. "I promise you, I'm done with this. From now on." She stared straight into his eyes. "Thank you." She whispered. "You've done more than you can imagine."

…

**Dawww, probably the sweetest chapter I've written yet! I just love Sirena, she's such a awesome character. By the way, don't think eating disorders will get you attention. Don't try them, please. This was a really hard chapter to write for that reason, so I have to make it clear. Let me know what you think! Don't forget to review, and vote (let me know if it works please!) **

**For **delovlies**'s sake and** **opening night tomorrow for her play: keep calm, and Faramir. **

**Micaela's date is next! **

**-Shades**


	31. Let Them Eat Cake

**The Story: So I have this friend, and he's a guy, and a freshman. He's like the sweetest kid ever, and he asked me if I was okay, because I seemed really sad all week. (I was on my period, among other reasons) So then sister **delovlies **tells him she would tell him but he probably didn't want to know. Well, he figured it out, said oh, turned red and practically ran out of there. And now our friendship is ruined because he thinks I have some kind of contagious disease. Moral of the story **DELOVLIES **NO FARAMIR FOR YOU**!

**Anyway…**

**This is Michaela's date, by popular demand! Thanks to all my reviewers: **zanzibaby, Demigod-Gallagher-Selected, fairy not princess, mnbvcxz-xx, the5SOS-YAfangirl, majestictales, 4Love4Love4, guest, **and not **delovlies.

…

Michaela smoothed her beachy blonde curls, still trying to get used to them after her makeover. She loved this carefree, immature look. It was so much more fun than always having to be the adult and the mature one. Her maids were designing and sewing funky, fabulous creations, and she loved them. Still, she was nervous. Prince Ethan invited her on an afternoon date. Lately, he had been taking three girls on a date a day. Dorianne had gone to the stables with him this morning, and now it was her turn. He hadn't specified what they were doing, only to meet him on the third floor. Michaela knew the other girls would be all over her when she returned, especially Mackenzie, who was still clamoring for a date.

Her maids buzzed around her. Maddy fixed her hair, Clara applied bright pink sparkly eye shadow to her eyelids, and Cynthia clipped on bubblegum pink stud earrings. Michaela loved her outfit. The pink eye shadow and earrings matched her T-strap pink stilettos, adding a pop of color to her fun dress. The top part of it was basic-black and strapless, but it flowed out to a skirt above her hips. The fluttery skirt was white with black polka dots, and Michaela just loved it.

"Okay, Lady Michaela, I think you're ready!" Cynthia announced, as Clara dabbed her lips with some light pink lipstick. Michaela smiled at her maids, whom had become her close friends after only a little more than a week. Other than that, her closest friend was Katherine. They were both bakers, and they got along well. Michaela waved goodbye, and left her room.

She had never been to the third floor before, and neither had any of the others except Nicole and Cordelia, who had gone to the observatory. She went out to the stairs, where usually she went down into the main hall, where the Woman's Room and the dining room were. She took a steadying breath, and turned in the opposite direction, and went up.

At the top, she saw Prince Ethan waiting for her, one hand in his pocket, the other against the stairwell, his back to her. He turned at the approach of her heels striking the marble. Michaela smiled at him. They hadn't gotten to talk much during the interviews, since she had been last, and had been hungry. She hoped this wouldn't be awkward.

"Hi." She said simply. His other hand slipped nervously into the pocket of his dark brown suit jacket, but he returned her smile, and offered her his arm. He seemed happy today, and not as nervous as during the interviews. Under the jacket, he had a navy button down shirt, tucked into a dark pair of jeans. It was a nice look on him. It wasn't quite so intimidating, and less like what it was—a date with a prince.

"Hi." He returned as she tucked her arm under his.

"Where are we going?" Michaela asked.

"The roof. Hopefully it won't rain, because my sisters went to a lot of trouble to set this up for us." He grinned bashfully at her.

"What is it?" Michaela tightened her grip slightly as they went up another half-flight of stairs.

"Well, since you're a baker and all, they set up this whole cake tasting thing. Like wine tasting, I guess."

"Oh! That sounds awesome!" Michaela cried. "I'm so cake deprived, it's not even funny."

"What, you don't like the dessert here?"

"We haven't had cake once! Just fancy little fruit things. And obscenely tiny amounts of ice cream. And those French cookies. But no cake."

"Well then, I guess I'll have to talk to the chefs." Ethan murmured, opening the door for her.

"Easy for you, Mr. Prince. I'll be expecting it soon." She stepped out into the glorious sunshine. A light breeze fluttered the lacy table cloth on a long table with multitudes of white china plates, each holding different varieties of cake.

"This soon enough?" Ethan bantered back, although his ears and neck remained flushed.

"I suppose it will do." Michaela sighed dramatically.

"Well, Wesley's birthday is this Saturday. I'm sure we'll have cake then, too."

"It's Lissa's birthday, too." Michaela pointed out. "Anyway, this looks fabulous."

They took their seats, and two maids immediately approached, making Ethan turn silent. One set a plate in front of both of them, and the other set two glasses of champagne, before they disappeared. Michaela took a generous bite with her spoon.

"Oh my goodness." She moaned. "Why is this so good?" She took another bite. "What kind is it?"

Ethan read the label. "Its red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting."

"It's delicious! I've never made anything like this at Little Things!" Michaela finished off her tiny slice.

"Where?" Ethan poked at the perfectly swirled frosting on his untouched piece.

"My bakery. And aren't you going to eat that?" Michaela nudged him, and he recoiled, blushing. "Or are you watching your carbs?" She joked. He smirked, and took a bite of the cake.

"What, it's not enough like the fancy fruit stuff served at dinner?"

"No, its fine." Ethan cracked a smile. "So do you own the bakery, or your parents?"

"I do. It was my grandma's before she died."

"Right. You told me during the interview."

One of the maids returned, this time with a different variety of cake. Michaela took a sip of her glass of champagne, the bubbles tickling her throat. The maid set the plates down, and left. Michaela dug in, savoring the chocolate frosting on the rich chocolate cake. The next flavor was vanilla on vanilla, but the simple flavor was still to die for. Michaela felt a little guilty, since she spent most of the time gushing over the cake, instead of trying to get to know her date. But when they brought chocolate cake with peppermint frosting, she just couldn't help herself.

The next kind was a buttery yellow cake with a dark chocolate cream cheese frosting with a raspberry filling. By then, Michaela regretted eating the entire slice of the previous flavors, because she was starting to get full.

"So why did you change your hair color?" Ethan asked randomly. Michaela's subconsciously touched her curls.

"Oh." She said to fill the silence. She took another sampling of the chocolate cheesecake with whipped cream. "Well, I just wanted a change, ya know? I'm basically an orphan…not basically, I am an orphan. But I'm always the adult, and I just wanted a change. I wanted to be my actual age, for once. I think it just suited me."

"How old are you?"

"Eighteen." Michaela suddenly felt her confidence leave her. It was easy for her, to be teasing and fun. But when things started to get deep, she clammed up. Instead, she tried the next flavor, a lemon cake with a strawberry frosting.

"You have a sister, right? I think that's what you told me in the interview."

"Yeah, June. She's twelve. She convinced me to sign up."

Neither of them said anything as the maid returned with the next flavor, a white chocolate cherry cheesecake.

"Doesn't it ever get boring, being the Prince?" The question sprang of her lips, before she really thought about it. Ethan's gaze swiveled to her eyes, and he lowered his fork.

"Everyday. I'm glad, though, that you asked that. I thought you girls would just think of me as a prince, but lots of you actually see….me."

"I should hope so. I wouldn't want to be known as only the orphan or something."

Ethan was quiet as the maid returned with the next flavor. "I don't think that defines you." He said when the maid left.

"Than what does?" Michaela asked teasingly, trying the mocha cake with caramel frosting. Ethan blushed again, and poked his own miniature slice, quiet. "If you're not going to eat that, I will!" She asserted. "Anyway, what defines me?"

"I don't really know…I mean, we've only just met."

"I know. It's like the most awkward dating experience ever. And it's all on TV."

"You're telling me….so, have you ever had a boyfriend?" Ethan asked, his face flaming.

Michaela shrugged. "Sure, a few. It never really went anywhere. I was always too busy."

They lapsed into awkward silence again as the maid returned with a coconut cake with cream cheese frosting. Michaela surveyed the view from the roof.

"Do you come up here often?" She asked, tilting her face towards the sun.

"Yeah, to get away." He admitted. Michaela, now sufficiently stuffed, stood up, and walked to the edge. Her room was on the other side, and it was cool to see the grounds from this side of the palace.

"What's over there?" She asked, pointing. "That big glass building."  
Ethan stood up, and joined her at the railing. "Oh, that's the pool house. There's an outdoor pool on the other side."

"Well, you'll have to take me there sometime. I love swimming." She playfully prodded him with her elbow. "So have you had enough cake?"

"If I ate another piece, I think I would throw up. You?"

"Nah, I was just getting started." She patted her flat midsection. She had always been the topic of envy, with her fast metabolism, but she lacked a lot of the curves that most of her jealous acquaintances sported. "I'm just kidding. Would your mom be mad if I didn't eat at dinner?"

"Probably not. She's the queen, so it's not like she slaved over a hot stove to make it. I might have to join you on that one."

Michaela paused. It would be terribly romantic if he asked her on a second swimming date instead of dinner right now. She bit her lip. Ethan's hands slipped into his pockets, and she knew their rime had come to an end.

"Well, I guess I better go now." She said quickly, and then wished she hadn't. What a terrible way to end a date. "The other girls will want to pry every last detail out of me."

Ethan looked at her, his brow wrinkled. "They do that?"

"Yeah. It's terrible. You'd think it was like food for starving people the way some of those girls act."

"Like who?"

Michaela hesitated. "Well….Mackenzie is the worst. She thinks because she's a Two and all, she should have already gotten a date."

Ethan frowned. "I didn't realize it was that complicated."

"Yeah. She and Rory were friends, but she always accuses Rory of having secretly gone out with you and sabotaging her." Michaela usually didn't like gossip, but she was more worried of Mackenzie becoming queen.

"As a matter of fact, I sent a note to Rory inviting her to dinner tonight." Ethan stated. Michaela felt her spirits plummet. That's why he was trying to get away.

"Well, I suppose I should go then." She kept her smile pasted in place. "I had fun today. Thanks." She turned to face him. With her natural height and her heels, she was almost as tall as him. Ethan swallowed, and turned red. Michaela realized he did that a lot.

"Yeah, me too. Maybe we could go swimming next time."

"Okay." Michaela smiled, and waited for him to hug her, kiss her, or take her hand, anything. She bit her lip, and smiled some more. When it was clear he wasn't going to do anything, she spoke up. "Enjoy your date with Rory!" She squeaked out, before turning away, and hurrying towards the door.

…

**Next will be something short and a preview of the upcoming chapters, to break up the dates a little! Mackenzie's date will be afterwards. **

**Also, for everyone, I need a huge favor. Think of your character, now in the story, and if you can, answer this question. How do they feel about the Prince? (At this point, everyone has been out with him except Mackenzie, Cora, Lissa, Nat, Adele, and Autumn.) Do they love him? Are they confused, unsure, disappointed? Not everyone can be in love with him, though, so be authentic. Are they only in this for the money, the power, what? **

**Let me know in a review! And don't forget to vote! If it doesn't work PLEASE LET ME KNOW! **

**-Shades 3**


	32. Young Love

**The Story: Three moments that happened to me this week, and happen to all of us: **

**1\. When you awkwardly make eye contact with a guy in the bathroom while walking by and someone else opens the door. (If it's your crush….) 2. Someone does something that makes you go FEELS FEELS FEELS OH MY GOSH FEELS! (aka **delovlies **tugging her ear to cheat with you in cards) 3. When you realize that if that boy over there was older, you would totally be crushing. **

**This is just a quick little break in the dates, and a preview for one of the upcoming chapters! **

**Thanks for reviewing!: (Does anyone even read this part?) **zanzibaby/UltimateMaxmericaShipper, delovlies, the5SOS-YAfangirl, 4Love4Love4, majestictales, Demigod-Gallagher-Selected, **and **EruditeAbnegationMockingjay**!**

…

Lissa tried to ignore the conversation around her in the Woman's Room, and concentrate on her book, but several of the girls were making it almost impossible.

"He asks Rory, instead of ME?" Mackenzie whined to the entire room as she paced back and forth. Rory and Prince Ethan had been noticeably absent at dinner, and now they were in the Woman's Room. None of the royals were there either, or Mackenzie wouldn't be yelling like a chicken with her head cut off.

"It's so unfair!" She continued. Lissa tried not to roll her eyes. She didn't hate Mackenzie like some of the others, but still, she wasn't the nicest person around. "He's gone out with you, and you're a Six!" She pointed at Meagan, who blushed. "And Dorianne and Michaela, both Fours! And you, a Five!" She yelled at Felicity. Felicity opened her mouth to speak, but Adele beat her to it.  
"Maybe he just doesn't care about what caste you're in, Mackenzie." She spat. "Or maybe he just doesn't like you."

"He must not like you either, then." Mackenzie retorted. She spun around to face her only ally, Cordelia. "I still don't understand why he likes Taylor enough to take her on a date. She's a slutty Seven." Mackenzie smirked haughtily, but no one missed her comment, especially not Taylor, who sat in the corner by herself, drawing. She looked up, a hurt expression on her face, but she only glared. At that point, Tatiana stood up.

"Says the Two who can't even go to breakfast without showing off more than the rest of us need to see."

"Comparing you to Taylor, she looks pretty classy." Elvira added. If looks could kill, Mackenzie would have killed Elvira long ago. Sitting them next to each other had not been wise. Lissa looked at Mackenzie, dressed in a light sapphire evening gown with a sky high slit, and only a silver embellishment across her bust and one shoulder for a sleeve. Taylor, on the other hand, wore an a-line dress with a black lacy empire waist and a royal purple skirt.

"I have to agree with Elvira." Lissa interjected. She couldn't handle mean hypocrites. "Taylor looks respectable."

"Coming from a burlesque dancer, I suppose that's a complement." Mackenzie snapped at her, surveying Lissa's delicate light coral ball gown. "Don't try to hide it." She said snippily, sitting down on one of the sofas smugly. Lissa clenched her jaw. She hated that her past defined her. She snatched her book up, and stormed out of the room.

"Wow, Mackenzie, way to be rude." She heard Amber say as she closed the door. Her kitten heels echoed loudly as she scurried across the wide main hall, and to the stairs, and up to her room. No matter what she did, she was always going to be that Seven. Lissa pushed open her door, and stepped in, and threw herself face down on her bed, her gown splayed around her. A moment later, she heard a knock at her door.

"Come in." She said, assuming it was her maids.

Silence.

There was some awkward masculine throat clearing, and then Lissa realized it was most certainly _not _her maids. She quickly sat up, smoothing out her hair and gown, and looked to discover her intruder.

"Oh!" She stood, and curtsied quickly. "Your highness, I thought you were one of my maids." Lissa fumbled for the words, blushing deeply.

"It's okay." Prince Wesley laughed. Lissa wrinkled her brow. Had he come to deliver a message from his elder brother? She hadn't been on a date yet. He had taken Meagan and Sirena earlier yesterday, and Taylor last night after dinner to go stargazing. Dorianne had shyly admitted her had given her a horseback riding lesson that morning, and Michaela had been with him all afternoon, and he and Rory were missing at dinner.

"Are you sure? I'm so embarrassed." Lissa looked down at her shoes, feeling her face redden. Couldn't he just leave already?

"Yeah, it's fine." He said, grinning, running a hand through his light brownish hair. "You're probably wondering why I'm here." He plopped down on her desk chair, straddling it, instead of sitting in it properly.

Lissa nodded. She hadn't seen him other than at meals since bumping into him in the hallway.

"Well, you know our shared birthday is this Saturday. The girls sent me to talk to you about what you wanted."

"The girls?" Lissa hesitated.

"Michelle and Christine. And my mom." Wesley paused. "Anyway, they want us to figure out what we do for the party. They like, plan everything out, but they still want our opinions."

"Oh." Lissa suddenly was full of ideas. "We could do, like a masquerade!" She half squealed. "I've always wanted to do that!"

"Like a costume party? Because I've always wanted to dress up like a shoe."

"A shoe?" Lissa giggled. "No, not like that. It's like a ball, only everyone wears masks and no one knows who you are, and you sort of have a theme to what you wear."

"Oh. So no shoe."

"I mean, if you don't want to do that…."

"Hey, it's sounds better than like a tea party or something." He smirked. "Actually…the whole mask thing would be pretty cool. I have a lot of tricks up my sleeve." He wiggled his eyebrows at her. Lissa giggled again.

"So do you want to have it outside?" She asked hopefully. "In the evening?"

"That sounds cool. I think if we do, Andrew and his wife might disappear."

Lissa felt her cheeks heat up. "Well-"

"Not that I'm complaining, though. It just happened last time we had a party outside. But I still like your idea." Wesley stood up. "I'll tell them."

"Is there anything else we need to discuss?" Lissa stood up to, surprised how much she didn't want him to leave.

"Just our costumes, and mine's a secret." Wesley smirked.

"Oh, please don't dress up as a shoe. Since it's our birthday, we won't be able to stay secret forever."

"Oh, don't worry. I've got an even better idea. Well, I'd better let them know so they can get ready to announce it. It's sort of short notice, but they wanted your input." Wesley moved towards the door. "Goodnight, Lissa." His hand paused on the handle, and he turned, opening his mouth to speak. "Uh…sleep well." He said after a moment, obviously not what he had been planning to say.

"Goodnight, Prince Wesley." Lissa called after him. He turned around in the hall, and pointed at her.

"Wesley. Just Wesley. Or even Wes, if you like."

"Okay. Goodnight, Wesley." Lissa giggled.

He shot her a thumbs up sign. "'night, Lis." He drawled, before closing the door. Lissa jumped to her feet, and rang for her maids. She had to figure out what to wear—fast!

…

**You guys do too! Let me know if you have ideas for your character or the abandoned characters for the masquerade! Keep in mind, it's not a costume party, but more of a really elegant ball with themed gowns and masks. **

**Also, in the next chapter, I will be exploring some friendships and cliques and stuff in addition to Mackenzie's date, so if you have any ideas/preferences, let me know that too!**

**Don't forget to review, and vote! Let me know if the poll doesn't work for you PLEASE!**

**-Shades!**


	33. Alone With You

**The Story: Feels. Related strongly to the last Hobbit Movie. Like, it's bad. I thought I had Maxmerica feels, but this is a whole new level. **

**Why This Update Took Me Forever: Memes. Never look up memes with someone you love, for something you love, because you will never get anything done again…I can't even look at **delovlies **anymore without thinking about how majestic Thorin is and how Kili is an otter, or how much I cry in the last movie. And despite the feels, I had to catch up on Dancing with the Stars AND plan a fictional masquerade, and then when I had time, I fell asleep. It's tough, man. **

**Thanks for reviewing! It makes me happy! **Demigod-Gallagher-Selected, UltimateMaxmericaShipper (**Zanzi, this feels so weird to call you that!), **the5SOS-YAfangirl, 4Love4Love4, majestictales, delovlies, fairy not princess, and mnbvcxz-xx. **Also, huge shoutout to **zanzi** for helping me a ton with all the masquerade costumes and **delovlies **for distracting me. Mackenzie's date!**

…

"I knew it! I knew it!" Mackenzie squealed, jumping up and down as she entered the room. "I got the next date! Pack your bags, girls, because after this, he won't even remember why the rest of you are here!"

Cora looked at Nat, and shrugged. "He told me he wasn't exactly looking forward to it on our date this morning."

"Did he say what you were doing?" Cordelia asked on the other side of the Woman's Room, where they were waiting for Sophia to arrive to begin their lessons for the day.

"The movie theatre. I plan to spend the whole time making out." Mackenzie said triumphantly, taking her seat in the front. The girls who still hadn't been on a date—Nat, Adele, Autumn, and Lissa—exchanged a look.

"Well, I'm not going to sing it from the rooftops." Lissa whispered. "But he invited me to dinner tonight, too."

"Hey, congrats!" Amber said quietly, squeezing her hand.

"After Cora this morning, I guess that only leaves the three of us." Autumn whispered to Nat and Adele. The three couldn't help but feel sad.

"Well, tomorrow's Thursday. He's got time." Nat attempted to brighten the mood, but she couldn't help feeling jealous and nervous. Their second Report was on Friday, and they had been told they would each be interviewed by Taren.

Nicole patted her elbow. "I'm sure he'll ask you guys tomorrow." She whispered. The conversation turned to other matters as they waited, namely the masquerade on Saturday for the sixteenth birthday of Lissa and Prince Wesley.

"Do you guys know what you're wearing?" Cora questioned.

Adele smirked, and lifted her chin high. "It's a surprise, as usual, but I'll give you a hint. Feathers. Lots of feathers."

"Are you going as a chicken then?" Rory sneered at her. Adele smiled sweetly. They had all grown used to Rory's insecurities after Mackenzie had dumped her out of the mean girl clique.

"No, nor any kind of bird. I just happen to like feathers." Adele countered. She nodded towards Mackenzie. "I'm sure she'll pull out all the stops and go complete slut."

"What else would you expect?" Tatiana interjected. "Mackenzie is typical. She wants power and money, and she's using her looks and her skills to get there."

"You're so right. I used to be just like that." Sirena said softly, smiling. Nat had noticed an unusual cheerfulness about her since her date with Prince Ethan, but she refused to spill the details. She had always been friendly, but after that, she was all but glowing with happiness. Sirena was fast becoming one of Nat's closest friends, aside from Nicole and Cora. Adele and Felicity were still fighting about the fact that Felicity had been on a date, and Adele hadn't, so Adele had also joined their group, along with Amber.

"I'm so excited about it! I already talked to maids about my costume." Gracie practically squealed. "But it's also a secret."

Gracie had gradually come to join their group, usually talking to Nat about horses when she wasn't with Nicole and Autumn.

"I can't believe how stressful this is going to be. I'm counting on a date tomorrow, and then the Report on Friday, and then the masquerade on Saturday! I was freaking out over my Report gown." Adele chimed in.

"I'm terrified about the interviews. They talked to me about our date last time, and I froze. I can't even remember what I said!" Amber said.

"I'm kind of excited." Nat admitted. "That is, if I actually go on a date first. If not, I'll just look like an idiot."

"Do you know what you're wearing?" Nicole asked her.

"Yeah. My maids are almost done with it. It's pretty awesome. I'll show you later."

The girls began talking of hairstyles and shoes, a usual topic for them. While a majority of the girls were friendly to each other, they all had their few closest friends. Mackenzie and Cordelia, although usually arguing, were practically a match made in heaven. Two Twos, rich, snobby, fashionista divas that got a long great—most of the time.

Michaela and Katherine had bonded too, both being bakers and all. Amelia sometimes joined them, but after her fiasco with Erin, she still had few friends, aside from Elvira, who also kept to herself a lot too. Erin continued to ignore everyone else, and got into a lot of arguments with Sophia about her choice of clothes.

Lissa often hung around with Gracie and Nicole or Dorianne or Taylor, even though Taylor avoided anything social. Amber, in addition to Nat and Sirena, talked often to fun Tatiana as well as Hana, since they were both designers. Rory was rude to everyone, but when she was with Nat and Sirena, she relaxed somewhat and became more vivacious instead of mean. Bryn and Meagan were closed off to the others, but always had the latest gossip.

There were also quite a lot of enemies within the group. No one really liked Mackenzie, least of all Elvira. Adele and Erin loathed each other, and Rory had a vendetta against Mackenzie and Cordelia. Taylor acted like she hated everyone, because she never talked to anyone. Tatiana and Cordelia squabbled almost constantly.

Currently, the whole Woman's Room buzzed with conversation as the girls waited for Sophia to arrive. She was late, which was unusual.

"The first thing I'm doing when I'm Queen is firing that woman." Mackenzie squawked. Just then, the door opened, and a very flustered Sophia entered the room. Her usual perfect hair was slightly frizzy, so the girls knew she was distressed.

"Lessons are canceled for today." Sophia practically yelled. Several of the girls looked worried, and glanced around at each other.

"What happened?" Meagan asked.

"Is something wrong?" said Gracie.

"No, not yet anyway. The mask is on Saturday, and today is Wednesday. I suggest you meet with your maids about your outfits. I'm helping the Queen and the Princesses with preparations, so we won't have lessons for the rest of the week. Now, go! The press will be all over this event, and we have less than a week to plan it."

She left the room in a huff, and the girls stood up excitedly, their chatter growing. Not only was this a chance to impress their potential husband, but like Sophia said, the press would be all over it. Mackenzie and Cordelia left first, talking in low tones and scoffing at the others. Lissa, Gracie, and Dorianne scurried out, giggling.

"Wait, guys." Michaela said, stopping Meagan and Bryn from leaving. She glanced at Lissa's disappearing form. "We need to talk."

The remaining girls stopped, and went silent. Gracie flashed them a thumbs up, before following Lissa and Dorianne.

"I talked to Gracie." Michaela told them. "And she has a request for us all. I think it's a really good idea."

"She's going to find out what Lissa is wearing to the masquerade." Katherine added.

"And I think none of us should copy her." Michaela finished. "This is her time."

"That's not fair. Why should she get to steal the spotlight?" Rory complained.

"Because it's her birthday." Nicole shushed her. "All eyes should be on her."

"Whatever. I'd never wear something she would, anyway." Rory stormed out.

"This is her time to shine. We need to let her." Michaela said. "Are you guys okay with that?"

"Of course!" Autumn said happily. "I think it's a wonderful idea."

"Me too." Elvira added.

"Whatever." Erin muttered, and sauntered out.

Adele rolled her eyes. "I'm sure whatever _she _wears will look terrible. It'll probably be pants or something. Ugh."

"We should try to find out what the Queen and the Princesses are wearing too." Sirena interjected. "So we don't copy them."

"Well, I don't want anyone to copy me." Meagan put in. "I'm going as a phoenix."

"And I'm doing something flower inspired." Bryn said quickly, as if daring someone to take her idea.

"I have no idea what I'm doing." Nat whispered to Nicole as they filed out of the room.

"Me neither. I'm sure my maids will help though."

"Yeah." Nat crossed her arms. Nicole immediately sensed her perceptions.

"Don't worry. I'm sure you'll be next. He'd be a fool not to ask you out. Besides…he's not all… _that _great." Nicole hesitated on the last part.

"Still, it sucks to be one of the last. And you told me he was pretty handsome."

Nicole shrugged. "He's a prince. He's supposed to be."

…

Mackenzie threw the pad of paper down in disgust. "Is that too much to ask?" She demanded of Caitlin, her maid. "I'm sure Lissa will be wearing something much more fantastic."

Trembling, Caitlin picked up the paper. "No, Lady Mackenzie." She squeaked. "It's just a little….um…"

"You can't wear something short to a ball." Julia, the worst of her maids told her. "It's inappropriate."

"I don't care! I want to stand out!" Mackenzie squawked. She turned to Eliza, the only sensible maid of the three. "I'm the Selected. You do what I want."

"Lady Mackenzie, I have an idea." Eliza yanked the paper away from Caitlin, who cowered against the wall. She sketched a brief sketch. "Backless, skin tight, and a thigh high slit."

"Make it hot pink." Mackenzie snapped. "And I _might _be okay with it. Now I have to change."

She snatched up the dress she had chosen on the first day to wear on her first date. It was a darker, cranberry pink, strapless, with a short, but bouncy tulle skirt. Once she put it on, her maids touched up her hair and makeup. They gave her a coating of her lavender perfume, and left without a word into the closet when there was a knock at the door.

"Answer the door!" Mackenzie hissed. "It's your job!" Eliza hurried to open the door, while Mackenzie struck a supermodel pose, and smiled seductively, with one hand on her hip. Eliza curtsied wordlessly to Prince Ethan, while Mackenzie approached him. She ran her hand down his arm.

"It's about time you asked me out, you little devil." She said flirtatiously. "Where are we going?" She wrapped her arm around his, and casually tucked herself under his arm.

Ethan cleared his throat, and edged as far away from her as he could. "Um, I thought the movie theatre in the basement, but-"

"Sounds divine." Mackenzie giggled, pressing herself closer to him. His face flaming, Ethan led her down the hall, all but tripping over her as she hung on him. When they reached the theatre in the basement, they went to two seats in the middle, and sat down. Some of the staff brought them popcorn, candy and soda, and then the lights darkened. Mackenzie smiled to herself, ready to put her plan into motion. She coiled her arm around his, waiting for him to put his arm around her. When he didn't, she scooted closer, so their arms were touching. Ethan froze, his arm tensed. Mackenzie leaned her head on his shoulder, not liking that he tensed up even more. She focused on the movie for a few more minutes. Still no response. She picked her head up, let go of his hand and settled back into her seat, sighing loudly. Boys were so dense sometimes. She tried clearing her throat, heavy sighs, touching his hand, but he remained red-faced and motionless. Mackenzie crossed her legs, and tried to focus on the movie, but she had missed the whole plot line, and just got confused. She busied herself with how to get his attention, and finally came up with an ingenious plan.

Quickly, she whipped up some tears, and began sniffing, and wiping at her eyes. Ethan shifted slightly, and she sniffed louder. He didn't as much as glance at her. Mackenzie added a whimper, and covered her face with her hands, glad of her years of bribing her father with fake tears. She began to really enhance the crying noises, and saw Ethan glance at her out of the corner of her eye.

"Lady Mackenzie…um, are you alright?" He asked tentatively. Mackenzie's fake whimpering turned to sobbing, as she waited for him to hug her or something!

Suddenly, the movie stopped playing and she looked up, hoping her makeup wasn't a mess.

"Are you alright?" He asked again. Mackenzie had to think fast.

"Yes, I will be. It's just that this movie is so touching." She fake-cried. Apparently he believed her, just like her dad always did.

"Do you want to continue watching it?" He said gently. Mackenzie nodded, and he turned the movie back on, and went back to being boring. Mackenzie sighed, and eventually, her fake tears dried up.

When the movie was over, he escorted her back to her room. Mackenzie rattled on about how romantic and touching the movie had been, but Ethan only offered a few affirmative statements. All too soon, they were walking down the hall of the second floor to her room. Mackenzie was terribly embarrassed. Ethan was the second boy she'd ever met who was immune to her charms, and it infuriated her to no end.

Ahead of them, she noticed a maid mopping the floor quickly duck out of sight. The next thing she knew, she slipped on the still slick tile. Mentally cursing all the incompetence of the servants here, Mackenzie was suddenly spared from the humiliation of sprawling on the floor in her too short dress. Ethan caught her in his arms, his face inches from hers. Mackenzie smiled. All of her tactics had failed, but thanks to the maid's incompetence, this was her moment. She closed her eyes, waiting for him to kiss her.

But it never came.

"Are you alright?" It was basically the only thing he said to her. He righted her quickly, and Mackenzie straightened her skirt and hair.

"Yes. Thank you." She said coldly. How dense was he!? He opened the door to her room, and held it open for her. She stormed in, and closed it in his face without as much as a goodbye.

She began pacing back and forth across her room, her brow furrowed angrily. She had tried everything and nothing had worked! Still, she had her caste. He wouldn't eliminate another Two would he? Plus, she was high in the polls among Illea. She would stay, for the money, and the power. Just not for love. _Now I just had to make up a story about how well my date went. _

…

**Sorry! It took forever, and I'm still not satisfied with it, but I think you'd rather have a bad update than nothing at all…if not, let me know! Don't forget to review, and vote!**

**-Shades**


	34. Isn't It Kinda Fun?

**The Story: When you're stuck in a car with really annoying people for two hours there and back, so you try to out-annoy them with your sis, and spend the whole time making feels noises and singing loudly and totally not getting complemented on it and yelling about the hotness of Orlando Bloom and Aiden Turner and Dean O'Gorman…but you got first place so it was all worth it. **

**Sorry again for slow updates, this week was crazy, but I should be less busy this week, so hopefully I can get back on my old twice a week schedule! **

**Thanks to all these people I would love to be stuck in car with! **4Love4Love4, delovlies (**said sis), **UltimateMaxmericaShipper, guest, majestictales, EruditeAbnegationMockingjay, fairy not princess, the 5SOS-YAfangirl, TheGirlWithTheRainbowTattoo, **and **Pandora walker guest**, (I can't reply to you on PM so here's my reply: dude, sorry, but get over yourself. It's my story, and this is how I want to do it at least right now. That's the basis of a syoc story, too. And no, that's just my username shortened. Please get an account.)**

…

_It's all so familiar, yet so different._ Nat thought. The smell of horse, the fresh air, the creaking saddle leather was just like home. But the tan colored dropped waist gown and matching jacket was definitely a change. Luckily, her maids had let her wear the riding boots and pants underneath the skirt that she had brought from home, which was a relief. The stupid tradition of women of the court riding in gowns irritated Nat to no end.

And of course, her date would be different. She had ridden horses everyday with Ben for as long as she could remember, except for about a week before she left home. Nat half expected him to walk up leading one of the horses they exercised, tease her about her dress, and challenge her to a race in workouts. She would lie about a date, and after work, get to experience the thrill of racing again, and come up with a lame excuse why she was home late—that Nicole could always see through.

But for a moment, what wasn't didn't matter. Nat patted her horse's neck, wishing it was polite to go galloping through the palace grounds. It was torture, finally getting to be with horses again, and all she could do was sit there and look pretty as she waited for her date to arrive. She had convinced the grooms to let her go ahead and mount while she waited for the prince to arrive for their date. The grooms told her Prince Ethan had insisted that she ride Princess Michelle's spirited black filly. The horse pawed the ground impatiently, and pulled at the bit. Nat smoothed back the stray hairs from her French braid, nerves knotting her stomach. She tried to relax, but she just couldn't.

She turned in the saddle, surveying the beautiful landscape. It truly was like living in a fairy tale. She had received an invitation to a date this morning, leaving Adele and Autumn, who still hadn't had a date, even more jealous than yesterday. Sophia continued to give them time off from lessons, due to the masquerade birthday celebration. Personally, Nat thought it was a little silly, but she had no idea how to plan a party. However, Nat felt a little cheated that most of the other girls had got to skip lessons for dates, but she didn't.

She sighed impatiently, but her impatience was quickly ended, as she caught sight of Ethan hurrying towards the stables. His apparel jarred her even closer back to reality—not that the Selection ever really felt like reality. While Ben usually just wore jeans, boots, and a flannel shirt, Ethan was arrayed in fitted dark brown riding breeches and a dark charcoal jacket. Of course, instead of her own jeans, Nat was wearing a stupid dress. She put on a smile, and smoothed her hair.

"Sorry I'm late. The meeting went on a little longer than expected." Ethan said, seeming flustered. Nat recalled the stories of the other girls about their dates. They had all said he wasn't the most outgoing person they had met. Their interview had been brief, but he had seemed nice and friendly. Still, as he took the reins from the groom and mounted his gray gelding, he still hadn't looked at her in the eyes.

"Ready?" He asked, settling the saddle. He looked sideways at her, making eye contact for the briefest of seconds.

"Definitely. It's been way too long since I was last on a horse." Nat said happily, attempting the break the awkwardness.

"Me too." Ethan half-sighed, kicking his horse into a trot along the pristine paddocks, towards the wooded area surrounding the palace.

"Yeah, except you went with Gracie, and Sirena and Dorianne, and probably by yourself, and I haven't been since I got here." Nat protested, as she urged her own mount to follow.

"Maybe that's what you get for breaking the rules of the caste!" Ethan called teasingly behind him, urging his horse into a canter. Nat kicked her filly into a gallop for several strides before pulling down to a canter so they could ride side by side. "You know, you promised to tell me about all that during our interview." Ethan urged, his voice loud over the hoof beats of the horses. He seemed so much more at ease on a horse than around the girls.

"There's not much to tell. I only did it for about two months." Nat admitted. They slowed the horses to a walk on the cobblestone path that led to the woods. "You probably don't really want to know." She didn't want to tell him her boyfriend was involved.

"Try me."

"Fine. Well, they were usually at night, and after work at the farm, we would drive to one of the neighboring farms."

"We?"

"Okay, you probably don't want to know this, but my boyfriend got me into it. He and his brothers have been doing it for years. My dad would have killed me if he knew what I was doing, so he was my only way to get rides. We broke up, though." Nat said quickly. She decided to continue her story. "Some of the other farms hosted illegal races, you know, for Sevens and for up and coming horses. It wasn't the big leagues. I mostly rode in those. I guess it was the Friday the Selection was first announced, I rode in my first two real races. It's kind of unfair. Most of the professionals are Twos, and they get all the good mounts. The Sevens never win. I didn't do so well in the two real races I rode in."

"You never rode in any others?"

"Nope." Nat really didn't want to elaborate, but Ethan's silence didn't leave her with much choice. "Ben—my boyfriend—caught me getting my picture taken at the Service Office, and we broke up."

"Oh…I'm sorry."

"It's fine. I'm over him anyway." She lied. "He apologized when I was leaving. I've forgiven him."

"I heard you hit him."

"Actually, that was Nicole. Before she changed her hair. It was probably pretty easy to mix us up."

Ethan grinned to himself, and Nat smirked. Nicole claimed he wasn't all that great, but after seventeen years together, Nat knew something was up with her twin.

But Nat wasn't really in love with him. She had been waiting for that spark this whole date, but it never came. Maybe later, something might blossom, but right now, she knew she wasn't going to fall in love with Ethan. She was still in love with someone else.

"Anyway, you promised horseback riding in your invitation. Nat joked, rising instinctively in the stirrups. "And this is more of strolling." With a loud cry, she urged her mount into a flat out gallop, flinging one arm in the air as her horse galloped through the woods on the narrow path.

"Natalia—wait!" She heard Ethan cry behind her. She turned slightly in the saddle.

"My name's Nat! How many times do I have tell people that?" She cried. She had missed this so much, and she never wanted it to end. She could see the wide yellowish stucco walls surrounding the palace grounds looming through the trees in front of her, and reluctantly, she pulled back on the reins a little. She saw two posted guards on top of the wall turn slightly to the sound of approaching hoof beats, and she turned around to see where Ethan was.

The next thing she knew, two loud gunshots pierced the air, and then a third. The two guards toppled over. Nat screamed—she couldn't help herself. Her horse reared up, whinnying in terror. Four black clad figures swarmed over the wall, definitely not dressed in the livery of the guards, even though they were about the length of a basketball court away. Nat tried to get control of her horse, but the animal was so terrified from the noise of gunfire, that it bucked her off and bolted, leaving her on the ground.

And then, one of them raised his gun—at her.

Nat screamed again, only to see the tallest of the four sort of tackle the gunman. More gunshots rang out, and the other two black clad figures fell. Guards stationed further down on the wall were running towards the two remaining invaders. It all had happened so fast. Ethan galloped up, jerking his horse to a stop and practically falling off. Guards from the direction of the palace were approaching. A few of them were much closer and on horseback. Nat assumed they were Ethan's protection detail or something.

"Are you alright?" Ethan demanded, pulling her to her feet. Nat nodded, trembling violently. She saw the two other invaders disappear from her sight, scaling the wall downward.

"Let's get you out of here. The guards will handle it." Three of the mounted guards arrived then, one of them leading Nat's elusive filly. Ethan helped her mount, and the guards formed a circle around then, hurrying them back to the palace.

"What was that?" Nat voiced her fears when they got back to the stables. Ethan glanced at her, but didn't speak. The look in his eyes reminded her of her own when she was not exactly telling the whole truth. "Are you going to tell me or not? I almost freaking died back there." Nat didn't mean to sound so scared, but who was she kidding? She was petrified.

"To be honest. I don't exactly know. Nothing like that has ever happened before. I'm sorry, Natalia. I think our date has to be cut short." He began to walk away, and she knew the Selection was the least of his worries now.

"It's Nat." She corrected.

"What?" He stopped short, and turned.

"My name. No one calls me Natalia. It's too…uptight."

A smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "Sorry. Nat, I'm afraid our date has to be cut short."

"It's okay. Maybe this means I get to go riding again sometime soon. You know, to make up for lost time today."

"Even after all that happened?"

"Of course!" Nat said fervently. "I'm not going to let one near death experience take riding from me." Ethan cracked a smile. "And you shouldn't either. Now go do whatever princes do all day. I'll see you at dinner. I'm sure all the other girls will be so jealous that we almost got killed on our date. Nothing like that has happened to one of them before." Nat tried to joke around, but inside, she was still terrified. She just didn't want to think of the gun being pointed at her.

"Seriously? I didn't realize how competitive you guys were." Ethan rubbed his jaw, almost nervously.

"Oh, it's a battlefield. But good luck. I'm sure this will make things go crazy, especially with the Report tomorrow." Nat smiled, probably a little too happily.

Ethan groaned. "I haven't even thought about all that. And I have a date with Adele tonight. Listen, don't tell anyone about what happened, okay? I think my father will want to keep this quiet for now."

"Okay. Have fun with Adele, though."

"Thanks." He quickly took her hand, and brushed a kiss over her wrist, before leaving quickly. Nat watched him go, holding her breath, waiting for that feeling she always heard about in novels and things.

_Nope. Nothing. _

…

**Okay, so Adele's date will be next, obvs, and then the Report, and then the masquerade! I originally planned on doing everyone's Report interviews like the ones at the beginning, but now, I'm not so sure. **

**Thanks to all those who followed/favorite-d recently, by the way! I'd give you guys a shout out, but you don't review! Why don't you? It doesn't make sense! Just review!**

Pandora walker guest**-I can't reply to you on PM so here's my reply: dude, sorry, but get over yourself. It's my story, and this is how I want to do it at least right now. That's the basis of a syoc story, too. And no, that's just my username shortened. Please get an account.**

**Anyway, some of the guests have been pointing out that there are way too many characters and want to see more of the twins. Even though they're guests, I decided to take them up on that, and see what you guys think, so let me know, and vote in my new poll! I'm probably going to cut the number of main characters a lot. It's just too confusing. I probably will end up writing the interviews of all the current main characters, just fwi, but sound off in your reviews on your thoughts! If I do everyone, it will take forever, and I know everyone is waiting for the masquerade! Tell me your thoughts!**

**OH MY GOSH THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES COMES OUT TOMORROW SO NOT EMOTIONALLY PREPARED FOR THIS. Anyone else freaking out about that? **

**-A very feels-y Shades, who hopefully won't cough herself to death and then die an emotional death of crying over the Hobbit movies. **


	35. Dancing Through Life

**The Story: Being sick sucks. Yeah, you get out of school, but then you just get behind and fail quizzes and you're coughing so much your body thinks you have to throw up and you're just gagging over the toilet. But hey, when your sister casually points out your old crush looks worried about you during a coughing fit, you kinda get excited (but confused) and suddenly, being sick isn't so bad. **

**So this is Adele's date. I know I haven't spent a lot of time on her, but she is a really awesome, different character, and will be continued to be featured as one of the main characters. And not just because my sis **delovlies** made her, it's because she's a good character! (Merry Christmas, Fee!) **

4Love4Love4, UltimateMaxmericaShipper, majestictales, the5SOS-YAfangirl, delovlies, fairy not princess, **and **Demigod-Gallagher-Selected, **you guys rock. I totally need to come up with nicknames for ya'll so I don't have to keep writing your usernames. Although it is a small price to pay for SUCH AWESOME REVEIWS! **

…

He was nervous. Adele tried not to sigh. She was one of the last girls to get a date, and he could barely even pay attention to her. Her fork clacked against her plate, and Ethan jumped slightly. Something was wrong.

She looked at the discreet guards posted just outside the small dining room on the third floor, one for the royal family. She had noticed a few more than usual, after Nat had come back early from her date, smiling a little too wide, her story not quite adding up. Adele wasn't dumb. She knew something had happened.

And yet, she still wanted her date. _Am I wrong, to want my chance? To want to fall in love? _If she was honest with herself, she was angry. The other girls had gotten their chance. Why couldn't she? She smoothed back her hair. Her maids had straightened out the tight shoulder length curls, and re-curled the ends, so it was slightly longer than she was used to. Her gown was a deep, light gold color. It wasn't as vintage as some as her favorites, but she felt pretty in it. The waistline was fitted and dropped to just below her hips, and strapless, fanning out around her legs in layers of delicate tulle.

"So, are they really going to interview all of us tomorrow on the Report?" She asked, breaking the silence. Ethan swallowed quickly, looking caught off guard.

"Yes, at least to my knowledge. It shouldn't be that hard."

"I'm not worried, but I know some of the other girls are. I'm an actresses. It's easy for me."

"Do Fives as actresses make a lot of money?" He bit his lip. "Sorry, that was kind of rude. Um-"

"Oh, it doesn't bother me. My mother doesn't think I should be in acting. She says that's for Twos, and I should just stick to singing or whatever. I usually work in two shows in the chorus, and I clean up afterwards too. If I can get a part, I get paid more. I'm not struggling, but then again, I'm only a Five. We work a lot, so we're not that close." She looked sideways. She usually wasn't this open. It had just kind of spilled out. She pursed her lips, not quite knowing what else to say, and reached for her water glass. But she was sitting here, and Ethan wasn't saying anything, and she found herself not shutting up. "I'm gone a lot, when we tour for shows. My mom always nags me about it. Even if I'm working, like, two shows, or I have a pretty good role, she still always wants me to better, you know?" Adele stopped, remembering who she was talking to.

"I know exactly how you feel." Ethan said, leaning back casually in his chair. He looked down, and smirked slightly. Adele bit her lip.

"Really? I thought being a prince would be easy…I guess. Maybe not. I mean, all you have to do is look hot."

Ethan laughed. He liked this girl's spunk. "It's a little more complicated than that. I think that's Wesley's job. Sure, most of the pressure is on Andrew, but nothing is hard for him." He looked up at her. "You know, I've been wallowing in self-pity for the last couple weeks, thinking that no one would possibly understand what I'm going through. But you just made me realize something."

"What?"

"That I'm stupid. That I'm not the center of attention. That I'm my own person, and I'm not my brothers and I never will be. Everyone goes through this whole inferiority complex thing. And I was an idiot to think I'm the only one it ever affected."

"Oh…your welcome?" Adele hesitated. He had sort of just bared his soul to her, and she had no idea how to react. He looked up at her, and blinked, sort of like he just realized she was there.

"Do you ever feel trapped, Adele?" He said quietly. Adele was taken back. It was comforting to know she wasn't the only one who suffered from parental pressures, but that question threw her.

"Like…trapped in my caste?" She asked tentatively. He just shrugged, so she continued. "Not really. I mean, if I ever fall back on acting, I can always go into singing or something. There's lots for Fives to do. But I guess I do. I mean, I'm a Five. I'll never be Cordelia Whitney or Rory Bande. I guess I have to realize that."

"Except now, you're a Three. You have the potential to climb the castes. You're already famous." Ethan reminded her.

"Then I guess I should thank you." Adele pushed back her chair, and stood up. Ethan's gaze followed her, looking slightly startled and on edge.

"You're leaving?" He asked. Adele grinned.

"No, of course not. I'm not leaving until you kick me out." She stuck out her hand. "C'mon. Stand up."

Cautiously, he stood. Adele mentally cursed his shyness. She had never imagined he would be this reserved. Sure, he had just opened up to her, but he wasn't a leading man just yet. Cheeks flaming, he wiped his hands on his dress pants. He threw her a questioning glance.

"This is a date, isn't it? And for me, a dinner date means dancing."

Ethan froze. He swallowed hard. "D-dancing?" He stuttered. Adele nodded vigorously. "I don't dance."

"Oh, come on. I haven't been dancing in forever. Do you have any music handy?"

"…N-no. Why would I have music handy?"

"Oh, I don't know. This is a palace, isn't it? No little hidden speakers and gadgets in the wall?"

"Um…no." He looked around the gilded room, and his eyes settled on the mantle. "Actually…." He hurried over to the fireplace, and picked up a small square box on the mantle. "There's this. It's a music box." He told her. He looked at the silver device in his hand, and then blushed. "It's my mom's. She uses this room as a private dining room, but the sisters thought it would be a good place for a date. That's why it's here, I mean." He added quickly, the blush spreading to his ears. He was so awkward, and yet Adele was intrigued. She would get him to dance with her, and something magic would happen.

"Has she ever told you why she keeps it in here?" She asked, taking it from his offered hand, and tracing the delicate filigree.

At this, Ethan practically turned red.

"Um, yes. It has the song they danced to at their wedding…and he gave it her on their first anniversary. They had dinner in here. Right after he gave it her, they found out they were the king and queen, because my uncle had been killed."

"Oh…" Adele felt embarrassed to have asked.

"She told me once their whole life changed after that, so she leaves it in here. It's too painful, I guess." Ethan continued, shoving his hands in his pockets.

Adele opened the lid, revealing a beautiful tiny silver bird on a painted background of silver and blue. Carefully, she turned the notch. Somewhat tinny music came forth, a song Adele didn't recognize. She looked at Ethan and held out her hand again. He shook his head, and actually backed up a step.

"No…I told you. I don't dance. I don't know how, I never have." He babbled off his list of excuses.

"Here." Adele reached for his left hand with her right, and put her left hand on his shoulder. "Now put your hand on my waist." Ethan hesitated, and Adele hid her smile, and stepped closer. Finally, he set his hand ever so lightly on her hip, releasing a held in breath.

"It's not so bad." He said, his voice shaking. Adele's smile grew as she looked up at him. He was so tall. For a moment, life didn't have to be like the movies. The movies could be real.

"Well, you're supposed to lead." She reminded him. "I'll follow you. Just walk slowly forward, really."

Nodding, Ethan took a few shaky steps forward. Adele tried to move with him, but the music on the music box ended. She stepped away to reset it, surprised to feel the absence of the warmth of his arm on her waist. She carefully rewound the music box, and reached for his hand. Once they were back in position, she tried again.

"All you have to do, is move with the music." She instructed. "How have you never had dancing lessons? You're a prince!" She teased.

"I have had them. I just didn't pay attention." He defended, nearly stepping on her toe.

"It's not that hard. Just one, two, three, and all that." Adele tried to steer him in the right direction. "There you go. See, it's easy once you get the hang of it." They waltzed somewhat gracefully across the dining room floor, the tension dissolving. Adele laughed.

"I thought you said you couldn't dance!" She squealed as they moved faster.

"How was I supposed to know?" Ethan said, in the loudest voice she had heard him use since she had met him.

"Well, magical things have been known to happen when dancing!" Adele countered, her skirts billowing around her. Ethan let go of her waist just long enough to spin her under his arm. Adele giggled, and playfully batted her eyelashes. For once, this wasn't about manipulating a fellow actor to get a part. He twirled her around again, but Adele lost her footing slightly, and ended up much closer than expected.

They both froze. His face was so close to hers…She had used the tripping into his arms ploy many times on her dates to get roles, and it was ironic that it had actually happened. The music box's song ended, leaving them both in breathless silence. Adele was acutely aware of how fast her heart was beating, and how his face had turned red, but that he was still holding her, and he was looking right at her.

The next thing she knew, he brushed his lips over hers briefly, just like a stage kiss. Only this wasn't the stage. This was real. Except it felt just like the stage.

As Ethan began to pull away, Adele reached up, placing her palm on his cheek, closed her eyes, and picked up where the kiss had left off.

"Your highness, your father requests your presence." A guard spoke up, clearing his throat awkwardly.

Adele and Ethan sprang apart, Adele borrowing some of his trademark blushing. The guard shuffled his feet. "I'm supposed to accompany you."

"Why? I know my way around." Ethan's brow crinkled, and his voice was shaking slightly. The guard's eyes shifted to Adele.

"Well, it's your father's orders, after the…troubles today."

"Right. Uh, please wait for me in the hall. I will be there in a moment."

"Yes, sir." The guard left quickly, glad to be out of the room.

Ethan turned to Adele, his hands back in his pockets.

"What happened today?" She asked, her heart still beating wildly.

"Something magical…" He murmured, a goofy grin on his face. He seemed to catch himself. "Listen, Adele, don't tell the other girls about what happened. You know, between us. They'd probably be pretty mad."

"Oh. Yeah, sure. I wasn't planning on it anyway. We'll have to practice more, though."

Ethan glanced up sharply, something akin to fear on his face. Adele gasped. "Dancing! I mean dancing practice! Not kissing, I didn't meant that. I mean, that would just be weird. Not that it was bad or anything-" She babbled, losing her cool.

"No, not bad…" Ethan agreed, suddenly very interested in the floor.

"Just not something we want to become public knowledge." Adele finished, thoroughly mucking up the situation. "Um, you should probably go talk to your dad now…" She reached for her clutch on the table. "Um…can you leave first?"

"Why?"

"I really don't want to see that guard again. He just walked in on us, you know, kissing, and well, it's just a little embarrassing…" She mentally face palmed. She never got this flustered about anything. Ethan shrugged, and she then knew he was just as embarrassed as her.

"Of course. Thank you, for tonight. It got my mind off stuff I didn't really want to think about."

Adele smiled. "Anytime." She said the first thing she thought of. As he left, she released a breath she hadn't really realized she had been holding. _I just kissed the prince of Illea. _Hoping there weren't security cameras in here, Adele executed a ridiculous happy dance, and let out a squeak of excitement. After a few minutes, she slipped out into the hallway, glad to see the guard and Ethan gone. She walked quickly back to her room, practically skipping. Maybe kissing practice wouldn't be so bad.

…

**Make sure to review, and vote! Please! I know some of you are saving your votes, but use them up, because I will be making the decision soon, so vote for your favorite characters, even if you are just the casual reader! Just want to thank everyone for reviewing, and staying with me! Late Merry Christmas! I didn't get dish doing dwarves or Orlando Bloom, but hey, google images works just fine!**

**-a still fangirling Shades**


	36. Real

**The Story: When someone *cough* **delovlies ***cough**** **hacks your computer and adds an alternate outcome to this update…# I can't *falls out of chair* I'll post the alternate dialogue at the end, because I'm already so annoying. **

**This is THE Report, where they interview the girls! I'm not going to highlight all of them like I did in the ones with Ethan, but the current main and supporting featured characters will be highlighted. Thanks to all my lovely reviewers: **UltimateMaxmericaShipper, 4Love4Love4, the5SOS-YAfangirl, delovlies, Demigod-Gallagher-Selected, **and **fairy not princess. **Still need nicknames for you guys! **

**Before you start reading, I have a surprise for you! On my profile, there's a link to google documents, where I have pictures of all the girl's dresses, just because I'm stupid like that, and it is fun! Check it out! The editing got messed up a little, but it shouldn't be too hard to figure out what dress goes with what girl. **

…

"What if I mess up?" Nat complained, flouncing onto her bed with a sigh. "That would be so embarrassing."

"You'll be fine. You've always been good at talking." Nicole giggled. The two had decided to get ready for their second Report together, and were currently in Nat's room, their combined maids joking together making it seem more exciting.

"So, how'd your date go?" Nicole asked, making eye contact in the mirror she sat in front of, her curls being re-curled. Nat frowned. It was weird. It had been more than twenty four hours ago, but she hardly ever got to talk to her twin anymore.

"It was good." She said brightly. "We went riding, which was awesome. I think I enjoyed that more than Ethan."

Nicole gave her a funny look, knowing that her sister was hiding something.

"And?"

"And what? We talked a little, and rode a lot."

"You're not telling me something."

"Honestly, what would I be hiding from you? If you must know, I didn't feel that _spark _or whatever. I'm not in love yet." Nat spoke quickly, her eyes focused on her newly manicured nails. "Do you think it's a mistake going back to curls?" She asked, desperate to change the subject. Her hair was in loose waves for tonight.

"I knew you'd come running back soon. And no, it's fine." Nicole told her. "So when do I get to see your dress?"

"As soon as I put it on." Nat teased. Her makeup was a little smokier for tonight, and she had even tried a little lipstick. Nicole had her lighter locks pulled to one side and curled, and her makeup was shimmery and somewhat light. "Speaking of which, we need to get going. We're supposed to be in the filming room in like ten minutes."

"Right. Well, I'll see you down there. I've gotta go change." Nicole said, rising.

"Um, no. We're walking down together, sis. I'll meet you at the top of the stairs."

Nicole gave a dramatic sigh, and rolled her eyes teasingly. "So clingy…" She teased. "Just kidding." She said, following her maids into the hall. Nat tried to think of a reply, but just laughed. Her maids hurried her into the bathroom, and into her custom made gown. It had been a risk, but she wanted to stand out. It was a very pale yellow, to make her skin and hair stand out, with a high sheer neckline and delicate cap sleeves, with delicate beading along the empire bodice, before floating in clouds of chiffon down to the floor. The slit in the side had been even more of risk, but it added an element of rebellion. Nat slipped on her silver stilettos, and checked herself one last time in the mirror, before hurrying to meet Nicole. Her sister had gone less risky, but would still stand out. Her dress had a simple, slightly fitted a-line silhouette, and was icy blue with a delicate layer of snowy lace over top, so it was hard describe the color as blue or white. Nicole met her outside of her room, and spun around.

"Show stopping, huh?" Nicole prodded.

"Not as much as mine is!" Nat said playfully, tossing her hair.

"Well don't you two look cute!" A voice chimed behind them. They turned, to see Sirena strutting towards them, a happy smile on her features. A glow in her cheeks that had not been there until recently made her look even more stunning. She wore a dramatic black mermaid gown, playing up her red hair.

"Ugh, Sirena, why do you always have to look so pretty?" Nat badgered.

"I don't know, but I can't even walk in this thing." Sirena joked, bending down to adjust where the tight skirt flared out just above her knees. The girls laughed, and Autumn joined them, wearing a ruffly dress with a Grecian silhouette, in light pink.

"I'm so nervous!" She said, her voice pitched slightly higher than normal. "I just know I'm going to embarrass myself."

They heard a snort behind them, and an icy "Excuse _me._" Before Mackenzie brushed by them, her nose in the air, dressed in a low cut off the shoulder scarlet gown with a thigh high slit.

"Why am I not surprised?" Sirena muttered to them. "C'mon, we're going to be late."

Giggling in nervous excitement, they made their way down to the basement of the palace, and into the Report room. Most of the girls were already there, nervously smoothing their outfits, and checking out the others. Cordelia and Tatiana, both in coral, were glaring at each other. Adele, in a cream colored Old Hollywood inspired ruffled number, was scoffing at Erin's inappropriate black lace mini dress with a translucent lace skirt as soon as humanly possible. Bryn looked very uncomfortable in a turquoise and gold dress, with a plummeting neckline, a far cry from her girlish pastels and florals. Sophia entered, clapping her hands. She caught sight of Erin's outfit, blanched, but said nothing.

"Ladies, please find your seats and sit down. We will be calling you up to be interviewed by Taren, so just remember it's live!"

There was a flurry of activity as the girls climbed to the semi-circular seating in their assigned places. Instead of a podium, there were two chairs turned in to each other in the center, before the Selected, the royal family, and the legislators. Taren took his position standing in front of the chairs, holding a microphone. The lights came on, bathing the set in golden light.

"And we're live, 3…2…1." The director said. Nat's stomach knotted, but she put on a smile, and tried to relax.

"Hello, Illea!" Taren boomed. "Tonight is a very special night, and I know one we've all been looking forward to. We're going to jump right in to getting to know the girls still in the Selection, and correct me if I'm wrong, a few announcements will be made at the end." He glanced over at the master of ceremonies, before turning back to the cameras. Again, Nat wondered why they were keeping the whole attack quiet, and what else they kept under wraps.

"And first up, we have Miss Tatiana Sarvex!" Taren motioned to where Tatiana stood, and made her way down to the chairs, and sat down, smiling confidently. True to her personality, Tatiana was funny and open, and the slightest bit cheeky. After Tatiana, was Meagan, attired in dark pink. She was sarcastic, and though she seemed calm, she laughed a lot more than normal. Dorianne was next, her dark hair and pale skin contrasting with a light gray one shouldered gown. She was very poised, but she didn't talk as much as Meagan and Tatiana. Afterwards, they called Michaela.

…

Michaela picked up the microphone. She hadn't tripped yet. Of course, the interview had barely begun. She caught a glimpse of herself on the television catching the video feed. The royal blue empire waisted gown showed off her thin form, and brought out her blonde locks.

"Hello, Lady Michaela, how are you?" Taren asked.

"Just wonderful, Taren." She answered, trying to smile.

"Oh? Any particular reason for feeling wonderful? Have you been out with our Prince Ethan yet?"

"As a matter of fact, yes. I believe all of us have."

"Where did he take you?"

"Up to the roof of the palace. It was amazing. You could see for miles."

"So what's your favorite part about living at the palace?" he asked.

"Probably all the friends I've made. I feel like we're all sisters, and we have so much fun together. But I also love the food." Michaela joked. "Or more specifically, the dessert. They set up some sort of cake tasting for our date, and I ate so much, I skipped dinner." Michaela joked. "I own my grandma's bakery, and I've never had cake that good."

"Oh, believe me, I know." Taren teased her. "So now that you two have gotten to know each other a bit, how do you feel about him?"

Michaela took a deep breath. She knew this question would come up. "Prince Ethan is not at all who he appears to be. There's a lot more than just a prince in him." She looked sideways at him, and smiled. "And he sees girls for who they are, not how the world sees them."

"What do you miss most from home?"

Michaela didn't hesitate. "Probably my little sister." She looked right at the camera. "June Bug, if you're watching this, and I know you are, I want you to know how proud I am of you, and I miss you!"

Taren wrapped up the interview, and Michaela stood, waving at the cameras like Sophia had suggested, before going to her seat, beaming at Katherine and Lissa. _It's over! _

…

Hana went next. She was quiet, but still warm and friendly. Cora was polite, but had a hard time overcoming her shyness. Still, she looked radiant in her billowing lavender ball gown.

"Lady Amelia Wilde!" Taren called. Amelia stood, brushing her hands over her mint blue tulle dress. She had to show Illea the real her, not the one in the magazines. She shook Taren's hand, and took her seat.

"Lady Amelia, it's a pleasure to get to speak with you!" He said, albeit slightly reserved.

"Thank you, Taren. It's a pleasure to be here." Amelia spoke into the microphone. She resisted the temptation to touch her hair or her skirt. Sophia had told them a million times not to fidget.

"It is my understanding that you've been getting quite a lot of backlash for something that happened between you and Lady Erin."

Amelia jumped at the chance to redeem herself. "Yes. It was a horrible thing of me to do. I was stressed and I said some things I shouldn't have." She looked over Taren's shoulder and found Erin in her ridiculous dress narrowing her eyes at Amelia. "Erin, I'm sorry. You haven't responded to my notes, so I figured this would be a good time." She looked down at her lap. She hadn't meant to say all of that. She just wanted all this drama to go away! Many of the others avoided her for that reason.

"Well, I won't make you tell your side of the story, but rather give Illea a chance to see the real you." Taren smiled warmly.

"I'd like that." Amelia said softly. She glanced over at the royal family to see how they reacted to apology. It had been completely unplanned. Ethan nodded slightly at her, and Michelle winked. They had become somewhat friends. Michelle often used Amelia to give notes to her maid Carly. She never told Amelia why, but Carly had told her of her way of communication with Carly's brother, a guard named David. The Queen smiled proudly at her, an unexpected reaction.

"So, tell us briefly about yourself."

"Well, I'm a Three, and I write novels, and I love sports." Amelia said offhandedly.

"Well, there you have it, Illea. Bookstores, you better stay open! What's the names of your published novels?" He turned to Amelia. She blushed slightly, and told him.

"_Illusions and Distractions _and _Someone Tonight._"

"So what has surprised you most about the Selection?"

Amelia hesitated. "I didn't realize how hard it was going to be!" She couldn't help but smile. "I mean, dating is one thing, but televised dating is another. And standing still for fittings for all these fabulous dresses! But I love every minute of it."

"So what do you think of Prince Ethan?"

Amelia thought of the differences between him and other guys. "He's probably one of the nicest guys I've ever met. And like Michaela said, he's willing to look past what other people see." She said confidently.

Taren thanked her, and she returned back to her seat. It wasn't as bad as she thought!

…

Adele was terrified when they called her. She didn't want to be after Amelia, who had just made everyone love her again. She wanted to stand out! She could always tell the secret about her kiss, but she _had _promised not to. She made her way to the chairs, knowing she commanded attention in her cream peplum gown and bright red lipstick. _I'm an actress. I can so do this._

"Good evening, Lady Adele!" Taren boomed. She offered her hand for a handshake, and he caught her off guard by kissing it instead. Adele giggled, and glanced in surprise at the camera. He winked at her, and Adele sat down and picked up the microphone, smiling.

"Hi, Taren." She said.

"So, Adele, what do you think of the prince so far?"

"Well…" Adele sighed, wanting to stand out. He asked this question to every single girl. "He doesn't know how to dance." She sort of blurted it out before realizing it. "But we're working on it." She amended.

"Oh, that sounds interesting! So what's the worst part about living at the palace?"

"I don't know. I guess I miss my job. I don't get to do a lot of acting here."

"You're a Five, right?" He asked.

"Yes. I work as a live theatre actress-dancing, singing, acting, basically."

"Oh, but have you had time for dancing? On your date perhaps?" Taren wiggled his eyebrows, and grinned.

"Well…yes. Prince Ethan invited me to a private dinner, and then I taught him how to dance." She looked sideways at Ethan, and saw him staring at her. He shook his head slightly, and Adele went silent. No, she had told him she wouldn't say anything about it. No matter how much she wanted to, she wouldn't.

"Well that sounds fun! So how would you sum up your experience so far?"

"It's been a lot more work than I thought, like Amelia said. But it's been amazing. I've made so many friends, and I've had a blast."

"One last question-flats or heels?"

"Heels, definitely."

"Well, Lady Adele, it's been a pleasure talking to you! I hope you and the prince can get some more dancing lessons soon." Taren said graciously. Adele thanked him, and went back to her seat, grinning.

…

Gracie walked to the front of the film studio, smiling nervously. She had been interviewed briefly last week, so that helped a little. She had on a rouched royal blue ball gown, her hair curled. She waved at the cameras, and took her seat, greeting Taren.

"So, Lady Gracie, we talked to you last week because you were one of the few who had been on a date. Have you been on a second one?"

"No, I haven't. As far as I know, we've all only been on one date."

"Do you think anyone is going to be eliminated soon?" Taren asked. Gracie tried to keep smiling. Why did she get the loaded questions?

"I have no idea, to be honest." She answered, not elaborating.

"So what's the worst thing about the Selection?"

Gracie cleared her throat. "Well, as you might imagine, there's a lot of drama between all of us. But I've made so many good friends, too. I've also never been away from my family before, so I really miss them."

"What's the best part?"

"Oh, everything! I feel, well, like a princess! The palace is so beautiful, and getting dressed up is so fun. Plus, my room overlooks the stables, so I get to see gorgeous horses every day."

"What do you think of Prince Ethan?"

Gracie felt her cheeks heat up. She was definitely in love with him, but there was no way she was going to admit that. "I think we're very…similar. I can kinda get what it's like, because we're both quiet people." She stopped talking, not really knowing what else to say.

"You've been getting quite a lot of popularity in polls. How do you feel about that?"

"I think it doesn't really matter. Prince Ethan will choose the girl who he loves, not who wins the polls." Gracie said, smiling. It was a good answer. "I don't think that being ranked highly or lowly affects anyone."

"Last question-do you prefer formal gowns or day dresses?"

"The formal gowns. I love wearing them, I feel so much like a princess! My maids work so hard to make them for me, so shout out to them!"

"Well, thank you, Lady Gracie!" He gestured to her, and everyone clapped, and Gracie returned to her seat. She felt…slighted. They had asked her loaded questions. She either had done great, or had really messed up.

…

After Gracie was Bryn. She seemed uncomfortable in her low cut dress, and kept adjusting it, and touching her hair. Still, she spoke passionately about her support of the monarchy, and of her love of music.

Lissa was slightly terrified when she was next. She touched her ruffly pink ball gown, and caught Wesley grinning at her. He gave her a thumbs up, and she relaxed a little. She took her seat.

"Good evening, Lady Lissa! How are you?"

"Excited to be here." Lissa squeaked out.

"I understand it's your birthday tomorrow."

"Yes, mine and Prince Wesley's."

"And what are you doing to celebrate?"  
"The palace staff is throwing us a masquerade ball. It should be really fun. I can't wait!"

"Oh, we'll certainty be there to film it, so we should be seeing coverage next week. What do you think of the prince so far?"

Lissa paused. In the back of her mind. She liked him well enough, he was very nice. But she knew she wasn't in love with him. And that she probably never would be. Quickly, she pushed away the thoughts. "Prince Ethan is very considerate. A bunch of the other girls have said this, but it's true. He's willing to look past what we were, and see who we really are."

"What has surprised you most about this experience?"

Lissa knew what the answer was. Prince Wesley. But she didn't dare reveal that. "I think how people treat me. I am—was—a Seven, and I expected to be treated as so. But here, castes don't seem to matter to most of these girls. And my maids always treat me like a One, even though they technically used to be higher than me."

"You said most of the girls overlook your caste. Care to name any names?"

"Um, I'd rather not." Lissa felt herself blushing.

"Do you think your former caste hurts you?"

"I mean, it might. But it could always help me. I've been through some horrible things, but I'm still here. Prince Ethan never asked me about my caste when I had dinner with him."

"Well, that's sweet of him. So, for your last question. Would you rather spend the day with Prince Wesley, or Princess Michelle?"

Lissa bit her lip, and started to giggle nervously. "No offense, but Prince Wesley. He and I had to discuss what we wanted for the birthday celebration, so I already know him a little." It was a lame answer, but she knew she was blushing, so she left it there.

"Well, thank you, Lady Lissa, and happy birthday!"

"Thank you!"

…

Elvira smiled at Lissa as the girls passed each other, Lissa finished, and Elvira just starting her interview. Lissa's light pink dress was quite the contrast to Elvira's fitted deep purple gown with a slit up one side. It wasn't black, her signature color, but it was so dark, and Elvira liked it. She didn't always have to wear black, did she?

"Lady Elvira, you look stunning!" Taren greeted her as she sat down.

"Thank you." Elvira said politely. "It's a pleasure to be here."

"So, I take it you've had a date?"

"Yes. Prince Ethan took me to the shooting range."

"Ah, yes. We interviewed you last week. How are you enjoying life at the palace?"

"Well, it's a lot different from what I'm used to."

"Since you served in the army, I imagine it is!" Taren agreed. "What's the worst part about living at the palace for you?"

"Well, I'm not really a dress girl, but I'm getting used to it."

"Yes, you are quite the daredevil when it comes to fashion. You have half of Illea copying you!"

Elvira couldn't help a sort of giggle. "Is that a good thing? I thought everyone thought I was crazy." She attempted to lighten the mood a little.

"I think people admire you more than you realize. I think you're sort of the girl on her own who everyone else ends up following, but what we all want to know, is how you identify yourself in the group?"

"Oh, I have no idea. I guess I'm the tough one. You have to be in the military."

"So what do you think of our prince here?"

"Well…" Elvira hunted for just the right words. She had seen a new side of him in his pain of his father's treatment after sending a Two home so early on. But she didn't want to embarrass him. "Prince Ethan is a human being, just like you and me. I think a lot of the time, we see him, and all the royals for that matter, as other worldly beings. But in reality, we're all just people. I mean, I'm still me, even though I'm living in the palace as of now. He genuinely cares for all the girls here, and I'm glad to have met him."

"Any dating advice you want to give to girls in Illea?"

"Yeah…don't date someone until you know who you really are. Because then he won't either, and you'll just be wasting your time. And if it's not real, it won't hurt when it's over. If it does hurt, it's real, and you're making a mistake."

…

**Okay, since this already twice the length of my usual update, I'm posting it now. Plus, it was a good place to end. Mackenzie, Nicole, Nat, Katherine, Sirena, Amber, Autumn, Erin, Taylor, Cordelia, Rory, Felicity, Cora will be featured in the next chapter, and THEN the masquerade. I know everyone is terribly excited about the masquerade, and that will be soon, I promise! I decided to post it halfway done, because everyone's begging for an update, and without it, it would end being like six thousand words, so there will be a part two!**

**Don't forget to review! Also, tell me who you want as main characters, and who you don't, since the poll is screwy! **

**The Alternate Message To The Girls From Sophia as Hacked By **delovlies **As Referenced By The Story That** **If You Get it, We Will Love You Forever.**

"_Okay, girls. We have some very special guests tonight watching, so please be on your best behavior. Representatives from Zeland, prime minister O'Gorman and his adopted brother. Also representatives from Erebor and a group of elves from Mirkwood. If Prime Minister O'Gorman falls out of his chair while saying he can't, please ignore him._

_ "And the princes who are representing Erebor bear an uncanny likeness to the Zeland representatives. So don't talk to them, because you might get them confused. In addition, please be as clear as possible about the Selection because the prince of Mirkwood is about to have his own because King Thranduil likes the idea so much. And no staring at the five attractive men." _

**-Shades, (and **delovlies)


	37. So Far

**The Story: Freaking out during the Hobbit Battle of the Five Armies definitely happened. Lots of covering my mouth with my hands, shaking, (quiet) shrieking, stomach aches, grabbing **delovlies**'s hand, whimpering, reaching towards the screen, and hyperventilating. Needless to say, I didn't actually cry. I don't know. There was some sort of sobbing without tears going on so I wouldn't miss anything. And I almost made it through this not specifically mentioning Fili and Kili, but seriously, all of those freaking out motions involved them. Well, and Bain. And Bard and his family. And Thorin. And Bilbo. And Tauriel and Legolas. OKAY I LOVE THEM ALL AND I'M A FANGIRL DEAL WITH IT. And this has nothing to do with the chapter, I'm just really emotional. **

**Moving on, this is basically just last chapter continued. Many thanks and hugs and nicknames to my reviewers: **majestictales **aka **majestic, 4Love4Love4 **aka **4Love, delovlies **aka **fee, UltimateMaxmericaShipper **aka **zanzi, **and **Demigod-Gallagher-Selected **and **the5SOS-YAfangirl.

**Remember, you can check out their outfits on my profile! **

…

Mackenzie smiled serenely as Taren called her name. She sailed down to the front of the studio and took her seat, making sure the slit in her dress did its job and left one leg bare.

"Hi, Taren." She purred in response to his greeting. "It's so nice to be here."

"So we just asked Elvira how she fits into this group, and we're curious to see where you think you fit in."

"I definitely think I'm the leader." Mackenzie said, nodding. "I just feel like all the girls look up to me, maybe because of my position at Angeles News, or my caste. I would like to think it's my personality, but I know a lot of the girls here are caste driven." She gave a halfhearted shrug, making sure the bodice of her gown slipped down a little further.

"What has surprised you most about the Selection so far?" Taren asked. Mackenzie smiled. She had bribed her maids to find out what questions Taren would ask her, and so far, everything was going fine.

"I think for me, it was meeting the prince, you know? I didn't want to sign up at first, but my dad convinced me to. I expected someone totally different, and to be honest, I wasn't that excited about this until I met him."

"So now that you have, how do you feel about our man of the hour?"

"Oh, I feel such a connection with him! I have only been out once with him, but I really feel like we connected. I can't wait to spend some more time with him."

"Any thoughts on who is going to be eliminated next?"

"Well, it's really not my place to say…" Mackenzie lied. "And I honestly couldn't tell you. I don't view this as a competition, and I haven't been paying much attention to the stats."

"Well, this is a slightly different question, but if you could be known for anything, what would it be?" Taren asked. Mackenzie mentally cursed her maids. She hadn't practiced that one.

"Well, I would love to be a photographer, but I just really want to help people. And if I do that as the princess or just as me, I'll be happy."

"Well, Lady Mackenzie, it's been a pleasure having you. One last question. Do you like wearing your hair up, or down?"

"Either way. Wearing it up makes me feel glamourous, but when I wear it down, I feel like a model." Mackenzie hoped they couldn't tell she had practiced that one. She said her goodbyes, a little disgruntled it had not gone on longer. Cordelia was next, and Mackenzie couldn't help but roll her eyes at some of the responses of her friend. She was cold and her answers seemed forced. Mackenzie wasn't bothered by it. She knew she had done the best, obviously.

…

Katherine couldn't shake her nerves as she brushed by Cordelia, on her way back to her seat, as she was called up for her interview. Cordelia sneered at her, and Katherine wondered if it had been a mistake to go strapless. Her maids had been convincing, though. The light champagne silk gown and the intricate beading on the empire waist shimmered under the studio lights.

"Good evening, Lady Katherine, how are you?" Taren greeted her. Katherine attempted to smile, and laughed nervously.

"To be honest, I'm just glad I made it here without tripping." She relaxed a little as the other girls giggled a little.

"So you had already gone out with Prince Ethan last week, right?"

"Yes. We went on a picnic."

"So what's your opinion of him?"

"For one thing, he's a lot shyer than I expected. Not that it's a bad thing. I mean, I'm pretty shy too." Katherine backpedaled. "He's a lot more down to earth, too."

"What's your most favorite part of the Selection?"

"If I'm totally honest, it's the gorgeous piano in my room. I love music, and I've never gotten to work with anything like that before. But I also love my maids. They are so sweet and helpful. And all the girls here are great."

"Who have you gotten the closest to so far?"

"Definitely Michaela." Katherine smiled, and glanced at her friend in the risers behind them. "We're both bakers, and she's really good humored."

"So what are three words to describe yourself, so the rest of Illea can get to know you?"

Katherine felt herself blush, and she bit her lip. "Um, well, even though I'm a Four, I love music, so musical, I guess. And quiet." She paused, trying to think of the third word. "A lot of people say I day dream a lot, but I don't know one word for that."

"Oh? What are you day dreaming about?"

"Music, mostly…" Katherine said automatically.

"Well, I think honest is a good word to describe you. And it's a good trait to have, mind you. So if you could be in any other caste, you would be a Five?"

"I guess so. I mean, I know that I've always been expected to take on the family business and run the bakery, but I would honestly rather write music." Katherine laughed sheepishly, knowing her parents were watching.

"Is there any advice you want to give to the people of Illea?"

"Uh…make the most of your time with the people you're with. You never know what might happen." Katherine swallowed, and tried to smile broadly. She didn't want to talk about Annaliese right now. She felt tears prick her eyes, and swallowed again.

"I haven't asked this one yet." Taren didn't comment on her teary eyes, for which she was grateful. "What's a nickname people have for you, or that you would give to yourself?"

Katherine winced inwardly. The blows just kept coming. "My sister used to call me Kat…" She managed. She had meant to explain to Ethan why her reaction when he had called her that had been so rude, but she just wasn't able to. And there was no way she was going to say anything about that on live television. "But my middle name is Evelynn, so sometimes people call me Lynn. Mostly my parents and my brother."

"Last question. How would you describe your fashion sense?"

"Um, classic and romantic? I don't really know. I love lace, and ruffles, and floral details."

"Well, Lady Katherine, you certainly have made an impression on me, and I think the same goes for the rest of Illea."

Katherine thanked him, and they said their goodbyes, and everyone clapped. Katherine put on a brave face, and went back to her seat.

…

Autumn went after Katherine. She was very blunt and sarcastic, and to the point, like her personality suggested. Her peach colored gown, though, attracted a lot of attention. Taylor looked gorgeous in her deep teal tulle dress, but she was hesitant and slightly cold, obviously uncomfortable. Nicole felt bad for her, but quickly forgot when her own name was called. She went to the front and sat down, after Taren's initial greeting, smoothing her ice blue lace gown. She looked briefly at Nat, who gave her a thumbs up.

"So, Lady Nicole, care to divulge the secrets of your date to us?" Taren asked once the initial niceties were out of the way. Nicole looked immediately to Ethan, who was just red faced. He shrugged, so Nicole proceeded.

"Well, he took me up to the roof of the palace, and they had set up this whole little picnic thing, but about five seconds after we got there, it started pouring down rain. And I-" Nicole laughed in spite of herself, remembering how mad she had been. "I thought he did it on purpose or something, to catch the whole thing on the cameras, because there were some right there when we went inside." She felt herself turning red, and saw that Ethan was now the brunt of nudges and giggling from his brothers. "I was so mad, and I don't even know why. I had this vase that had flowers in it from the table, and I just through the whole thing at him, even though we were already drenched." She had to wait while Taren and pretty much everyone else laughed. She exchanged a mutual blush with Ethan, and continued on her story. "I ran back to my room, and then got ready for dinner. Right before I was going to leave, he shows up at my door, and we had dinner together. I was so embarrassed about before. He apologized to _me _and he hadn't done anything wrong."

"Well, my next question was going to be the most embarrassing thing that ever happened to you, but I think that would it."

"You're probably right!" Nicole agreed.

"So, what do you think of the prince you through a vase at?"

Nicole knew they asked every girl this question, and she still hadn't come up with an answer. She blurted out the first thing that came to her mind. "He has no idea what he's doing. And that's okay, because neither do a lot of us. I certainly don't."

"Not a lot of experience?" Taren teased. Nicole was beyond embarrassed by now, she just took it in stride.

"Nope!" She giggled, embarrassed and shrugged.

"What about careers? If you could choose another career, what would it be?"

Nicole hesitated. Not even her parents knew about her ballet. It was only Nat and her maids. "I work in a factory, so pretty much anything else would be good for me. I really love to dance, though. If I could pursue that professionally, I would be happy." Nicole said with a firm nod. _Stay focused. _She told herself. She wasn't here for any other reason except that.

"You instead of representing your home province, you're representing Yukon, still out of our control. Do you feel like this has helped you or hurt you?"

"I don't think it has hurt me, but I would say it helped me either. I mean, I got to come here with my sister, which was pretty much the chance of a lifetime. And I see myself in a lot of magazines, because it's sort of a symbol to our country. Prince Ethan even told me he only initially asked me out because of that reason. But also, I don't want to be the girl representing Yukon. I wanna be…me, I guess."

"Well, to let people know the real you, what are three words that you would use to describe the Selection?"

"Complicated…" Nicole began. "Different, and… surprising."

…

"And next up, we have Lady Natalia!" Taren boomed. Nat stopped to squeeze Nicole's hand briefly as they passed each other on her way to the front. She smiled for the cameras, but felt her legs shaking under her dress as she took her seat.

"I've been told you go by just plain Nat, is that correct?" Taren asked her.

"Yes, I always have. Natalia just had too many syllables in it for Nicole when we were learning to talk, so she just called me Nat and the name stuck."

"So she admitted she didn't have much experience when it came to dating. What about you?"

Nat kept a smile on her face, but inwardly winced. "Well, more than her."

"Care to share?" he asked. Nat resisted the temptation to roll her eyes. Taren was worse than a gossipy pre-teen. She shrugged.

"I've had a boyfriend. She never did." Nat said simply.

"When was that relationship over?"

Nat almost rolled her eyes again. Seriously, why did people care so much about all this? "He saw me signing up for the Selection, and broke it off. He apologized before I left, though."

"So, compared to your ex, what do you think of Prince Ethan?"

"He's a lot quieter. He doesn't say much, and he called me Natalia. Twice. But he takes the time to get to know all of us." She didn't mention the attack, or that she was hard pressed to find any feelings for him other than friendship. "But I like him. He's not spoiled, even for a prince. He really cares about all the girls here."

"So what did you kids do on your date?"

"We went horseback riding, which was totally awesome. I had a lot of fun." _And I almost got killed…_

"Wasn't that your job before the Selection?"

"Yes. I exercised horses at a farm."

"If you could have any other career, what would it be?"

"I would love to be a jockey and race horses. I've done it a few times, and there's nothing like it."

"What do you miss the most about home?"

"I guess riding every day. I mean, Nicole got to come here with me, so I don't have to miss her."

"Good words of advice. Now we're going to do a quick little speed round. Heels or flats?"

"Ooh, I'd have to go with either. I'm not particular. I didn't like heels at first, but I've gotten used to them."

"Formal gowns or day dresses?"

"Day dresses. I can't tell you how many times I've tripped over the hem of a long gown."

"We probably already know the answer to this, but for a date, would you rather go horseback riding, or see a movie?"

"Horseback riding, no question."

"Do you like your men in jeans, or tuxes?"

Nat chuckled. "I'd have to go with jeans."

"Tell a joke, or do an impression."

"I guess do an impression. I can't remember any jokes."

"Well, I won't ask you to tell any." Taren joked. "Last question. What has surprised you the most about the Selection?"

"I didn't realize how much drama there would be. Everyone's really competitive, and I don't feel like we should be. It's not a game. It's real life." Nat nodded as she finished her answer. Taren thanked her, and they said their goodbyes. As she returned to her seat in the risers, she felt the eyes of the other girls on her. They weren't viewing this as a game anymore. It was time to get serious.

…

Cora's interview was brief. She was shy and quiet, but talked passionately about her love of animals. Rory was coy and flirtatious. She had a lot of indirect comments about namely Mackenzie. She was the exact opposite of the tough, fiery, rude, and slightly insecure Rory that Sirena had come to know. But then again, she was like that to everyone except her competitors. Sirena felt a rush of excitement when she was called up.

"Lady Sirena, how does it feel to be part of the Selection?" Taren asked after their initial hellos.

"It feels really exciting. At first, I was really not happy to be here. I had to get over a couple of personal struggles, but now that I have, I'm just having the time of my life."

"So you already had quite the fan base from modeling when you arrived here. How has that influenced things for you?"

"If I'm honest, it hasn't. It's not their opinion that matters, its Ethan's."

"So who have you gotten closest to so far, friend wise?"

"Well, probably Nat and Rory. I don't know, I like pretty much everyone here. It's fun when we all hang out in the Woman's room together."

"What do you guys do?"

"We tend to clique up quite a bit, but sometimes we all play cards together. Spoons can get pretty competitive with twenty four playing."

"Do you guys ever hang out in each other's rooms?"

"Oh, all the time. I know Nat and Nicole have sleepovers sometimes, and a bunch of the other girls too."

"So if you could be known for one thing, what would it be?"

"I think I would love to be known as a volleyball player. I play on my team at college, but hardly anyone knows that. They just know I'm a model."

"What do you think of the prince?"

Sirena bit her lip. What did she think of him? "For one, he is really concerned about all the girls here. And he took the time to listen to me when no one else would. He's really easy to talk to. He's…gosh, I don't even know how to describe it. He's probably one of the most considerate guys I've ever dated. Actually, he is."

"Is he what you expected?"

"I honestly didn't know what to expect. I honestly don't even know why I signed up. I had no idea I would get picked. I was just so sick of my life, and I thought it might be fun. And it is."

"Last question. As a model, what fashion tips would you give to the girls of Illea?"

That was easy. "Don't let anyone tell you what doesn't look good on you. Walk tall, and be yourself. Wear makeup. Makeup is only a tool that shows the world you can be beautiful superficially. It is meant to help give you confidence so that when you did go without it, confidence could sparkle in you; that the confidence would be all you needed to be beautiful."

…

If Amber thought her interview on the first Report was a disaster, it was nothing compared to Erin's. Already in a barely-there dress that Sophia would no doubt have lots to say about, she was aggressive and defensive, so that even Taren felt uncomfortable. She didn't say anything about Amelia, either. Felicity was sweet and friendly, and although reserved, she looked great compared to Erin. Amber was last, but she didn't mind. She sauntered up to the front, feeling gorgeous in her custom designed gown. It was mermaid style, the skirt white with black polka dots. The top part was more of a crop top, and plain black.

"Lady Amber, first off, let me just congratulate you on being labeled the fashion icon of the Selection. You told us last week about your date, right?"

"Yes, I did. And no, I haven't gone on any others." She teased.

"So what do you think of Prince Ethan?"

Amber didn't hold back. She had never been one to beat around the bush. "I don't even know. His smile makes me feel like there's a zoo in my stomach, his touch sounds tingles down my spine, and just the thought of him makes my head spin. Maybe it's just because he's incredibly attractive." She giggled. "Because he cares about me, and about all of us, and I don't know if I could ask for anything more."

"Very poetic. Are you sure you don't want to trade fashion designing for writing movie screenplays?"

"Oh, very sure! If I wasn't doing what I loved and designing clothes, I think I would probably be a singer. I don't know, I have really bad stage fright."

"Really? I had no idea. You seem so relaxed."

"Actually, I feel like I'm about to throw up." Amber joked. Taren scooted his chair back a little in mock horror. "I think it's more dreading it. Once it starts, I'm fine. I just can't think about it, you know? Actually, you probably wouldn't!"

"You're right, I wouldn't!" He teased. "Well, I'm afraid we're out of time. I enjoyed talking to you, Lady Amber."

"Thank you." She stood, and waved at the cameras.

"Well, there you have it folks! These twenty four girls are left in the Selection. Hopefully, you got to know a little more about them, and we'll see you back next week with footage from the royal birthday party!"

…

**So he just said what I was going to say…**

**I know this ended awkwardly, but I'm just ready to post it. It takes a lot longer to write these than I intend…**

**If you guys could do me a huge favor, now that you've gotten to know pretty much everyone a little better, pick five (excluding the twins) and briefly tell me why you want them to be the main characters. I love all of them, but realistically, I can't even keep track of all them, so I'm going to cut it to seven girls who I write in their POV. The former mains will still be featured a lot, just not from their POV. Thanks in advance! Next chapter WILL be the masquerade. It's probably not going to be a while, January is a REALLY busy time for me! **

**Anyway, I was supposed to post this yesterday in honor of a very special someone's birthday, but I had to sleep, so…**

**HAPPY BIRTHDAY ORLANDO BLOOM. I FREAKING LOVE YOU**

**-Shades (to the hottie)**

**-Shades (to all you awesome people who are totally not judging me now, right?)**


	38. Once Upon A Dream

**The Story: Crushes. I'm seriously in "no crush" mode right now, and it's kinda sad. I always used to have a crush on someone and I would literally obsess over them. Now I almost feel guilty that I don't like this guy anymore. I guess that's all part of growing up… **

**So after a long struggle consulting public opinion, and several of you guys, plus over-analyzing characters, their castes and status, and their relationship towards the prince, I have decided on the main characters. ** **Please know** **I love all the characters, and this choice was really difficult, and I'm really sorry. The others will still be featured heavily, they just won't have a separate POV. So, without further ado, besides the twins, there will be Sirena, Lissa, Gracie, Katherine, and Adele as mains. **

**A huge shout out to all my helpful reviewers, thank you so much for taking the time to do so! **guest, Princessperfect1997, NotADuck, maggietheo, Penguinlover0813**, **Demigod-Gallagher-Selected, Fairy not princess, UltimateMaxmericaShipper,the5SOS-YAfangirl, 4Love4Love4, delovlies **and **majestictales- **I love you almost as much as I love Lee Pace, which is saying a lot! 3**

****There's a link on my profile for their outfits, again!****

…

Katherine shivered in anticipation. Her maids had kept her costume for the masquerade tonight a secret until now, and she was dying to see it. They had been hushed about it, and wouldn't even tell her the theme as a surprise. Her hair was already in a carefully updo, some of the strands loosely curled around her face.

"Are you ready?" Jane asked, grinning wildly. Katherine nodded vehemently, eyeing the garment bag Lia held. Rosalie grabbed her arm, jumping up and down on her toes and giggling excitedly. Aside from Michaela, Katherine had grown closest to her maids. She was closest to Jane. Being the head maid, Lia didn't exactly encourage the friendship the way the younger ones did. Upbeat, boy crazy Rosalie reminded Katherine so much of Annaliese, it was hard to be around her sometimes. Lia unzipped the garment bag, and removed the dress. Katherine gasped, and stepped closer. It was gorgeous. The palest cream color, with delicate chiffon and lace swirling everywhere, with lacy little cap sleeves and a fluttering tulle skirt. A little squeak of disbelief came from her throat, and she reached out hesitantly to touch it.

"I can't believe this is for me!" She squeaked out. "It's gorgeous."

"We themed it around a swan, sort of. We know you like to wear white." Jane said.

"We got this for your hair." Rosalie handed her a little spray of white feathers.

"And here's your mask." Lia showed her a delicate mask of gold filigree. It didn't exactly scream swan, which Katherine liked. It was very subtle—in the white, the feathers, and the slight bird look to the mask.

"You don't think it's too much, do you? I mean, I don't want to steal the spotlight from Lissa. It's her birthday, after all." Katherine bit her lip. She, Gracie, and Michaela had basically been in charge of making sure no one copied Lissa so the birthday girl stood out.

"It's still a competition. You'll want to stand out, anyway. None of the other girls requested a white dress, anyway." Lia reminded her.

"Well, I don't know…" Katherine began. "I helped tell all the others not to outshine Lissa and I love the dress, but-"

"Nonsense!" Rosalie proclaimed. "It'll be fine." C'mon, let's get you dressed!"

While her maids helped her into the gown, Katherine tried to make up excuses, but it was really, really hard. The gown was beautiful. It was perfect, and she didn't really have another one to go with her mask. And the party was starting soon. And she didn't want to disappoint her maids.

Once it was zipped up, and her hair was finished, and her mask was on, she was speechless. She actually felt beautiful. She had always been a little plain, but now…she didn't even know how to begin.

Tonight was going to be awesome.

…

Magical. It was the only word for it. Nicole sucked in a breath as the doors were opened for her, leading into the Great Room. She had only seen it in passing, when the doors were open while she was going to the Woman's Room or something, and usually it had been empty. But now, it looked totally different. Originally, the ball had supposed to been outside, but an earlier rain shower had pushed it more indoors. Nicole knew Lissa wouldn't mind. Hardly anything ever bothered her. Still, the glass doors at the end of the great room were all open, letting in the balmy Angeles air, and leading to the well-lit terrace and gardens, where many of the guests were, undeterred by the earlier drizzle. The ballroom was sparkling, in golden light. The marble floor gleamed, as did the pillars holding up the massive glass ceiling, and surrounding the main part of the room. The stars were out in full force, and could be easily seen through the glass ceiling. Gilded and painstakingly carved arches stretched between the pillars.

The glittering white marble and golden light were only a backdrop for all the guests. Nicole herself had chosen red. It was a little different for her pastel tastes, but she stood out. Her gown was deep red, with a full skirt and a corset bodice. Her hair was pinned up in a braided bun, with two small roses on one side. Her mask was painted gold, with little red rose accents. As she looked around the ballroom, she realized she didn't recognize anyone, not even Nat.

Still, there was no mistaking the trademark squeal, blonde hair, and bright blue eyes behind the silver mask as Gracie ran up to her, dressed in a royal blue and silver gown, complete with a delicate pair of blue wings. Gracie's blonde hair was in a whimsical braid, studded with white flowers.

"Hi, Nicole!" Gracie hugged her. "I almost didn't recognize you!"

"I only did because of your squeal." Nicole teased. "This is beautiful!"

"I know! I stood here for about two minutes with my mouth open when I first got here!"

"Is Lissa here yet? I can't wait to see her dress."

"No, she'll be here later. There's so many people here, and I don't know half of them. I was so glad to see you!"

"Who else would be here besides the Selected?"

"You'd be surprised. The Italian royal family is here, and so is the Prince and Princess of France. There's a lot of the advisors and their families, and the legislators, too. A bunch of famous Twos are here as well." Gracie told her. "Oh, look. Here's Amber!"

Amber entered behind them, her red hair in elaborate curls. Her gown was dark brown silk, and glittering with rhinestones, as was her mask.

"Oh, wow!" She gasped, taking on a similar awestruck expression.

"Hi, Amber!" Gracie squealed.

"Gracie? Is that you?" Amber asked.

"Yah, it's me! And Nicole."

"I didn't even recognize you guys! This is going to be harder than I thought. Is Prince Ethan here?"

"No, he's escorting Lissa in after everyone gets here." Gracie said. The doors opened again, ushering in who could only be Elvira. Her mask was simple, basically a piece of black tulle lace. She had forgone her usually more elaborate designs, and had gone for a high necked black lacy ball gown. Her hair was in little ringlets, and softly framing her face. Still, she wore her signature black leather boots. Even as a Two, her mouth dropped when she took in the sight.

"You guys look fantastic!" She said, once they had greeted her.

"I love your mask!" Gracie exclaimed.

"Thanks. I like your whole outfit."

"Really? I was going for a blue fairy theme."  
"The wings are gorgeous. I couldn't really think of a specific costume, so I just wore this." Nicole smoothed her skirt.

"It's a lot more creative then what Mackenzie came up with." Elvira said with a snort. "Seriously, that girl wears the same outfit every time." She nodded to where the blonde was laughing loudly with Prince Wesley, who stared at her with an expression akin to a puppy. The thigh high slit of her hot pink dress showed of both legs, and the dress was almost entirely backless. Even with her pink mask on, she was unmistakable.

"You would think she had some class, being a Two and all." Nicole mumbled.

"I know, she looks like a hooker. Even Prince Wesley can't stay away from her." Amber rolled her eyes. Nicole grinned at Wesley's ridiculous outfit. He was one of the few guys wearing a tuxedo. Almost everyone else was wearing formal suits, in slightly more interesting colors. He looked kinda cute in his bow tie, but the cuteness was ruined by his mask, which was basically a copy of his outfit, complete with a stupid little bow tie on his forehead.

"Who, Mackenzie?" Bryn, her outfit themed as a cherry blossom, stopped next to them with Meagan, dressed as a phoenix.

"Yeah. That girl needs some class." Amber said.

"Well, let's stop hanging around by the door, and have some fun!" Gracie cried. She grabbed Nicole's hand, and towed her towards the center of the ballroom. "You have to see the queen's dress." The girls found the monarchs, standing with glasses in hand, chatting with who could only be the king and queen of Italy. Queen Francesca wore a stunning mermaid style gown, in midnight blue, feathering out if layers of chiffon. Little silver embellishments like stars that covered her gown matched her glittering silver mask. Likewise, King Jackson also had a silver mask, although it lacked the feathers that his wife's had. He wore a silvery gray suit.

"I guess a masquerade is a little more fun for girls." Gracie giggled. "Look at Prince Andrew." She nodded to the heir. Like the king and queen, he and Princess Christine had coordinated their outfits. Whereas she wore a breath taking shiny gold ball gown, and a delicate Grecian inspired filigree mask, also in gold, the prince wore a very dark brown suit, and a gold vest and tie underneath his jacket. Nicole giggled.

"Oooh, look, there's Dorianne!" Gracie shrieked, waving to the brunette. Dorianne had gone Grecian, wearing a dark pink empire waisted gown with draping on the sleeves. Gracie gave her a hug, something she did upon every meeting to everyone, and the two launched into a conversation. Nicole took a glass of offered punch as one of the many tray bearing servants went by, and looked around the gigantic room. If it was any indication, tonight was going to be spectacular.

…

Nat felt a little overwhelmed as she navigated through the throngs of people. Everyone looked so different and were almost unrecognizable in their masks. She had located Cora across the room, but only because Cora had told her what her dress looked like yesterday—blue and silver. She was mainly looking for Nicole, but they had both kept their outfits secret from each other. Nat wondered if that had been a mistake, because knowing them, they might show up in the same thing. Her maids had really outdone themselves, though. Some of the girls had gone for more subtle themes in color schemes or fabrics, and some of them had gone for a more costume type. Nat had decided on a mermaid theme. Her dress was bright turquoise, with a mermaid silhouette, of course. It was covered with turquoise and silver sequins, until it flared out just above her knees in tulle. It was more backless than she was used to, but it had straps, so it wasn't falling off, like some of the other girls, namely Mackenzie. Her hair was curled (again), and pulled into a slicked back ponytail. Her mask was the same color as her dress, embellished with shells.

"Nat! I've been looking everywhere for you!" A flash of red hair greeted her. It took Nat a moment to figure out who it was, mostly because her light blue and gold empire waisted gown was simpler than normal. Still, coupled with the red hair and red lipstick, and square jawline and long legs, it was obviously Sirena. She held a half empty glass of champagne, and her cheeks were pink.

"You look fabulous!" Sirena gave her a one armed hug.

"I almost didn't recognize you." Nat admitted. "What happened to wearing whatever you feel like?" Even Sirena's red hair was in a careful chignon, instead of down and curled. Her makeup looked a little more light than normal, although she still sported bright red lipstick. Her dress was looser, since she normally wore dramatic fitted mermaid style gowns.

"I don't know, I just wanted to change for a night." Sirena grinned, and stopped one of the servants to snag two more glasses of champagne and give up the now empty one. She handed one glass to Nat. Nat hesitated. Sirena was one of the oldest girls in the Selection, nearing twenty. Of course she knew how to drink. But Nat never had.

"It's just champagne. It's not that strong." Sirena noticed Nat's hesitation.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah! It's fine. You know what they used to say, you only live once. Besides, you can be anyone you want tonight and hide behind your mask. Trust me." Sirena held her glass up. Nat wrinkled her brow, and paused. Ever since her date with Ethan, and her near death experience, she had been jittery and nervous. Definitely not herself. With a shrug, she clinked her glass with Sirena's, and tossed it back. Sirena was right.

"Where's the boyfriend?" Nat jested. "You know, the one we all share?"

"He's supposedly escorting Lissa in after everyone is here."

"And by everyone, you mean…?"

"Well, all of us Selected, the royals of Illea, some of the royals from Italy and France, the advisors and legislators and their families, and a bunch of Twos. A lot of the guards were invited, too, so we would dancing partners. Some of the higher up staff, too, like Sophia and Taren." Sirena took another drink, and her face broke into a grin. "And Miss Rory Bande!" She said loudly, catching sight of another friend. Even though she was sometimes hard to put up with, Rory was hilarious. Apparently, she and Sirena had also known each other back in Rory's modeling days before she had switched to television. She wore an elegant white satin trumpet style gown, and a light blue mask with little snowflake embellishments, with her blonde hair twisted up.

"Remind her not to get totally wasted tonight." Rory said to Nat in greeting, elbowing Sirena.

"Someone's unusually chipper." Sirena teased. "Any particular reason?"

"I just saw Sophia walk in. She took one look at Erin, and walked out."

"Why?" Nat asked.

"Erin decided to get away with a pantsuit." Rory gestured to where she was standing, dressed in a strapless black pantsuit that looked like it was about to fall off. Her mask was bat themed, but it wasn't hard to figure out who it was.

"Is Adele here? She'll have a cow." Sirena quipped.

"She just came in." Rory pointed to the door, where the blonde stood, commanding attention in a gold gown, with a tulle skirt and an elegant escalloped drape down the back. Her mask was black and gold, sporting a large black ostrich feather on one side. Nat waved her over.

"Did you see what Erin's wearing?" Rory asked, after they had greeted her. Adele looked over to wear she was pointing, and blanched.

"Are you kidding me? She should get kicked out! How terribly inappropriate." Adele scoffed. Nat and Sirena giggled. Adele had a huge vendetta against Erin, for some reason.

For the next half hour, Rory and Sirena introduced Nat and Adele to any other Twos they knew. It was almost dizzying. Although Nat was still on her second glass of champagne, Sirena had moved on to red wine, and was incessantly giggling.

Nat finally excused herself, spying Nicole—or at least someone who looked an awful lot like her. She was wearing a red ball gown, and talking to a girl in an angel costume.

"Nicky, that better be you, or I just made a fool of myself." She said as she approached.

"Nat, you're here! I haven't seen you anywhere!" Nicole stepped forward and hugged her. "I love your outfit!"

"You don't look so shabby yourself. Is this confusing or what? Sirena introduced me to so many people, and I had no idea who they were because of their masks." She raised her eyebrows, and nodded at the girl in the angel costume, who she still hadn't recognized. Nicole de-coded her gesture.

"Did you at least recognize Autumn?" Nicole elbowed her, knowing full well she hadn't.

"Of course! I love your outfit too. You look gorgeous."

"Thanks!" Autumn piped up. "I'm going to go find Cora."

"I totally didn't recognize her." Nat remarked after Autumn left.

"I know." Nicole smirked. "I just saved you."

"Yeah, well I might need a little more saving before tonight is over. It's either going to a complete disaster, or the time of our lives."

"It usually is, isn't it?"

…

Lissa checked her hair one final time in the mirror. Sophia had just informed her that all the guests were present, and it was time to make her entrance. In her ivory pink gown covered with rosettes, she felt like a princess. One side was caught up, revealing a feathered tulle pattern. It matched the grouping of feathers on her mask, also pink, with little diamond drops. Her ombre dyed hair was carefully curled, and everything was perfect. Taking a deep breath to curtail her excitement, she thanked her maids, and went into the hall. As she approached the landing, overlooking the main hall, she saw her escort. Prince Ethan had offered to escort her when she made her entrance. There was no denying anymore that she would have preferred Wesley, but he hadn't offered. She had never exactly felt attracted to Ethan. But she was in his Selection. And she found herself attracted to Wesley. It was so confusing.

Ethan turned at the sound of her footsteps, and ran his hand through his hair, messing it up even more. He smiled hesitantly. There was no denying he was attractive, especially in his dark royal blue suit, his hands in his pocket, and his tie slightly askew. He held a plain blue mask in his hand. Lissa smiled back, but there was no spark.

"Happy birthday." He said in greeting.

"Thanks." She looked down at her shoes. The dinner date they had shared had been similar to this. She marveled at how quiet the main hall was. The doors to the great room were shut, the only people in the vicinity were two guards stationed by the door.

"Ready?" He offered her his arm.

"Yup!" Lissa slipped her hand through, and lifted up her skirts. They made their way down the stars, the sound of the party reaching them. Sophia was making an announcement, probably of their arrival. The guards bowed before them, and wished Lissa a happy birthday. She blushed, and tightened her grip on Ethan's arm. Once the doors were opened, there was one more set of stairs leading down from them to the dance floor.

The guards pulled the doors open. Lissa's jaw dropped at the sight of the Great Room. She quickly remembered all eyes were on her, and smiled widely. Who would have thought that she, a Seven and a burlesque dancer, would get to have this moment. She and Ethan made their way down the stairs. At the bottom of the stairs, standing next to the king and queen, was Wesley. Thankfully, he wasn't dressed up as a shoe, as he had joked. Lissa stifled a giggle at his mask—a mini tuxedo, matching his own. He grinned at her, and stepped forward.

"May I?" He asked his brother. "After all, it's my birthday, too." Ethan obliged, and stepped back. Everyone started singing happy birthday, and Lissa felt her cheeks go pink. But only because Wesley was holding her hand. When the (albeit not so good) singing was over, the musicians started playing a stately waltz of some sort. Despite their dance lesson yesterday, several of the Selected girls looked like deer in the headlights as they were asked to dance by the other men there, the younger legislators, Twos, and sons of the advisors. Mackenzie strutted over, and Lissa tried not toll her eyes.

"Wesley, you promised to dance with me!" She whined. Wesley barely glanced at her.

"Sorry, Mackenzie." He said briefly and turned to Lissa. "May I have this dance, Princess Lissa?" He asked with a dramatic arm flourish thing

Lissa stifled a giggle and noticed Mackenzie as she huffed off, now too late to dance with Ethan, who, upon seeing Wesley ask her, had asked Katherine.

"But I'm not a princess, not really. I just wanted to feel like one for a night." She giggled, taking his hand, thankful for the hasty lessons Sophia had given them. Wesley mumbled something that Lissa couldn't hear.

"What?"

"Nothing. So, you would really rather hang out with me than Michelle?" He asked.

"Of course! She wouldn't be nearly as fun as you. Besides, I've talked to her, like once." Lissa felt weightless, as Wesley spun her around and around. "Why?"

"Well, she's glaring at me." Lissa peeked over his shoulder, spying the princess in a bright blue a-line gown with peacock feathers on the bodice. Her glittery turquoise mask sported several sweeping peacock feathers on one side. She had chosen to wear her hair in a playful fishtail braid, her bangs brushing her eyes.

"Why? And who is that she's dancing with?"

"Her fiancé, prince Orlando of Italy. And I suspect he's the reason. She made us promise to dance with her all night so she wouldn't have to dance with him."

"Well, that didn't go as planned." Lissa quipped. Wesley was dancing with her, Ethan with Katherine, the king with the queen, and Andrew with Christine. "And speaking of which, neither did your costume."

"Yah, I know. I had this epic zombie theme going, but my mom got word of it, and forbade me to wear it. She didn't like this, but it met all of her guidelines. A lot more interesting than Ethan's." Wesley joked. Lissa grinned.

"This must be a dream." She mused aloud. "I never thought anything like this would happen to me."

"Visions are seldom what they seem…" Wesley said as they spun around and around in circles. Lissa tripped slightly on the hem of her gown, and he caught her.

"Hey, I thought you were a dancer!"

"We didn't exactly specialize in waltzing." Lissa said, reddening. "And no, I will not give you an example. I hated it."

The music ended, and Lissa noticed several of the Selected girls bolt away from their partners, and to Ethan. Wesley twirled her one last time, and Lissa giggled. They came to a stop.

"Happy Birthday, Lis. I actually got you something." He took a small white rectangular box from his pocket and handed it to her.

"That's no fair! I didn't get you anything." Lissa frowned.  
"Please, Lissa. Take this token of my affection for the pleasure of your company."

Wesley pushed the box towards her. Lissa took it. "Then again, I may have happened to be walking by the Royal Jeweler while they were visiting for Christine and Michelle. And I found this." He added. Lissa opened the box, and gasped. It was a pink diamond pendant, in the shape of a heart, surrounded by smaller clear diamonds. "It reminded me of you too much to pass up on."  
"Wesley, it's beautiful! Will you?" She draped the necklace over her neck and turned around so he could fasten it, glad she hadn't worn one. She giggled as he fumbled for while with the clasp, muttering things about why was it so small. She turned, and realized their faces were very very close. Heat rushed to her face, and she noticed Wesley was quiet for once. He pushed back a loose curl off her face.  
"Happy Birthday Lis." He said softly.  
"You already said that."  
"I know."

Lissa knew she should probably step back, and go dance with Ethan. She was in his Selection anyway. But she really didn't want to. After what could have been forever, he spoke.  
"Lissa, listen to me. Can you meet me in the gardens in about 15 minutes?"  
"Yeah, why?"  
"Trust me Lis." Lissa giggled, her fingers tracing the necklace. She always giggled when she was nervous.

"Okay. I probably shouldn't but I will."

…

**So I had a lot more planned, but then I realized it's almost twice my usual update length, so I'll just post what I have. This is not the end, don't worry! **

**If you didn't see, I have a link on my profile for the costumes, because I have no life…**

**A huge thanks to **UltimateMaxmericaShipper, majestictales **and **the5SOS-YAfangirl **for helping me with a bunch of the scenes that have been or have yet to be featured. The next chapter will either posted really soon (thank the snow!) or not for a while (blame school). I'm sorry this took so long, I had exams, and life craziness. Also, I've heard some of you guys are good at making covers for other stories, so PM me if you're interested! Also, anyone else notice there's like twenty million new syoc stories for the Selection…? Not sure how I feel about this…**

**-Shades **


	39. Hold you Closer

**The Story: **delovlies **and **shades's **classification of celebrities: Those we talk about like they're our friends, and call them by their first names. (Dom, Evie, Lee, Aidan, Dean), those we love, but just have to say both their first and last names. (Richard Armitage, Liv Tyler, Orlando Bloom), and those we just hate. (Benedict Cumberbatch)**

**This is just more masquerade fun! All the mains who didn't get a POV last time will (Gracie, Sirena, Adele) and Katherine will get another shorter one since hers was pretty brief. Plus, I'm revisiting Lissa for all you Wessa shippers, and also the twins again. **

**Not so many reviews this time, but much thanks to **delovlies, UltimateMaxmericaShipper, the5SOS-YAfangirl, fairy not princess, Demigod-Gallagher-Selected **and **majestictales**! Love ya'll! **

…

Katherine was caught off guard when Ethan asked her for the first dance. She, like everyone else, had just assumed that he would dance with Lissa, but she had been swept away by Wesley, who now was totally ignoring Mackenzie. She cast a surprised glace at Michaela, who just winked at her underneath her pale golden mask, and turned to the tap on her shoulder by one of the sons of an advisor they had been talking with earlier with a flash of bright yellow. Her friend had chosen to masquerade as sunshine, and she looked radiant. Katherine turned back to Ethan, and took his offered hand. She hadn't spoken to him or even seen him since walking out on their date after the onslaught of tears.

"I have to warn you, I'm not a very good dancer." He said softly, sliding one arm around her waist in the waltz position.

"I'm not either." She admitted. "But just go with the music." She closed her eyes for a second, letting the classical piece by the band flow through her. She had suspected some trashy pop music or something, not this. She picked up the rhythm quickly, swirled around and around, her skirt floating across the floor.

"So how'd you know it was me? Behind my mask and everything."

"I just knew. I don't really know." He looked up from his feet long enough to make fleeting eye contact. "Hey listen. I'm sorry."

Katherine cleared her throat. "Sorry for what?"

"Whatever I said on our date. I didn't mean to upset you."

"It wasn't your fault…" Katherine tried to divert the conversation. "Did you see Lissa's face when she came in? She looked like a princess."

"Yeah, she did." He stared at her questioningly. She knew he wanted her to explain.

Katherine sighed. "Ethan…it really wasn't anything you did. I mean, you didn't know. It's just calling me Kat…it brought back some painful memories. There was only one person who called me that…"

"What happened?"

"There was a plane crash." Katherine gritted her teeth, and focused on Ethan's shoulder so she wouldn't have to look in his eyes.

"He must have meant a lot to you."

Katherine looked up in surprise. "Who?"

"Uh, your boyfriend. Who was in the plane crash." His face reddened. In spite of herself, Katherine laughed.

"It wasn't my boyfriend. It was my sister, Annaliese."

"Oh."

She could have sworn he looked more relaxed. "I'd rather not talk about it. Just know, it wasn't anything you did." She reassured him. They were quiet for a minute or two, trying to navigate through the other couples waltzing. Katherine saw Amelia, dressed in a purple and black gown, dancing with a guard dressed in all black. They spoke very seriously to each other. She saw Sophia obligingly dancing with Taren, and smiled.

"So why did you enter the Selection, anyway?" Ethan interrupted her observation.

"Oh…well mostly my mother. She always wants us to have the best, and also the money couldn't hurt for the bakery. And, you know, who wouldn't want to be here? It's like a fairy tale. Annalise always was talking about it. She wouldn't have made the cut off for age, but she was always convincing me to sign up. So I did."

The music ended, and Katherine noticed pretty much all of the Selected girls look at her and Ethan and then at each other.

"Well, Katherine, I'm glad you did." Ethan said, releasing her. "And," He said smiling. "Contrary to belief, you are a pretty good dancer."

"Don't look now, but there's about twenty other girls making their way over here." Katherine teased. "And I better go before I get attacked!"

…

Adele thanked her partner, finding herself at a loss for words for once. She saw a red faced Felicity leaving the guard she had danced the first dance with, and ran over to her. They had been giving each other the silent treatment even since Felicity's date, but Adele realized it was time to apologize.

"Felicity! You will never guess who I just danced with!" She cried. Felicity looked a little nervous as Adele's sudden friendship again, and wrinkled her brow.

"Um, I don't know. Who?"

"Dean Turner, that's who!" Adele's voice pitched higher as she practically shrieked. Back when they toured together in the performance troupe, the two had fan-girled and obsessed over the hot young actor, and had seen every single one of his movies. "And _he _asked _me_! And he knew who I was!"

"Oh my gosh, he's here? Where?" Felicity grabbed her arm, and began jumping up and down in excitement, her dark green gown in a frenzy.

"Right there…talking to Cordelia…ugh." Adele frowned. Although she had loved the dark haired actress before meeting her, she was anything but friendly. Upon their first meeting.

"He's looking at us, Dellie!" Felicity shrieked, her face going red. Adele smiled. It felt good to be friends again.

"Hey, Fel, listen. I'm sorry for going off like that on you. I was just jealous."

"Oh that's okay." Felicity said, her eyes riveted on _the _Dean Turner. "He's coming this way!"

Adele grinned mischievously, and shoved her friend towards the actor. "Dance with him!" She hissed after Felicity, before scurrying away to find her next partner. She spotted Prince Ethan bowing to Katherine as they parted ways, but then Mackenzie swooped in for the kill. A somewhat deflated looking Hana, in periwinkle, stepped out of her way.

"Don't you dare, Adele." Mackenzie spat under her breath. "He's all mine." She stepped in front of Adele, and smiled widely. "Ethan! Might I say you look especially hot tonight?" Mackenzie's voice was now sugar-sweet. A brief look of terror flashed across Ethan's face.

"Oh. Um, thank you? You look a little cold." He nodded at the lack of proper coverage on Mackenzie's slutty dress.

"Oh, nah. I got other ways to keep warm." Mackenzie purred. "Wanna dance?"

Ethan cleared his throat. "Um, actually, I promised Adele the second dance. Sorry." He turned to Adele, who didn't say anything, just shot Mackenzie a smug look.

"Right. You didn't think I had forgotten, did you?" She played along, setting one hand on his shoulder and taking his offered hand with the other. Mackenzie huffed off angrily with a flip of her hair, and Adele couldn't resist laughing.

"Thanks for that." Ethan said gratefully. "She always tries to make a move on me, and I'm kinda terrified of her."

"No problem. Why don't you send her home?"

"Ah, well, she's a Two, and the last time I sent a Two home, I got in a lot of trouble with my dad." Ethan explained. The music began again, in another waltz.

"I saw you dancing with Katherine. You've improved."

"Yeah, well Sophia came to our rooms yesterday and made sure all five of us knew what we were doing dance wise."

"Wait, five?"

"Me, Michelle, Andrew, Christine and Wes. I tried to tell her I already had a teacher, but that woman can be pretty insistent."

"Believe me, I know. I'm surprised Erin's getting away with a pantsuit tonight!"

"I'm just surprised I got away with turning Mackenzie down."

"We make a good team." Adele pointed out. Realizing what she said, she almost tripped over her own feet. "Er, not that kind of team…just….you know." She fumbled for a loss of words, remembering the kiss. It had just reached a whole new level of awkward for them.

"So, you know…my date…and the thing…" She trailed off. She was never embarrassed. Ethan nodded, avoiding eye contact now. "We never talked about it…"

"We didn't." He agreed.

"I didn't tell anyone."

Ethan nodded awkwardly.

"So it wasn't bad…"

"No, not bad…"

"Just not…yeah." Adele stopped talking, hoping she got her point across. "It's really weird that Lissa and Wesley have the same exact birthday, isn't it?" She laughed loudly. "This is a great party. It gets a little confusing with all the masks, though." She babbled on.

They had just reached a whole new level of awkward.

…

Sirena was drunk. And frankly, she didn't care. She was having the time of her life! In a mess of giggles, she thanked her partner for yet another waltz. Lissa had been here for nearly thirty minutes, and they had yet to play any good music. Snagging another glass of something, Sirena went looking for Ethan. He was a prince, maybe he could have a say in it. Unfortunately, she found him dancing with Michaela. Lissa was nowhere to be seen, either, so she moved on. Asking King Jackson was out, as he had been snared by Mackenzie to dance. Prince Andrew was taking a customary dance with the foreign princess of France, although they both clearly didn't want to be there. Sirena spotted Queen Francesca standing off to one side with her daughter-in-law, Christine. Perfect. After all, they and Princess Michelle and Sophia had probably arranged this whole affair.

Speaking of the dark haired princess, she was talking to Amelia, but her fiancé, the prince of Italy, was approaching them. Sirena watched as he appeared to ask her to dance. She seemed to decline, as Prince Orlando ended up with Amelia instead. Sirena didn't watch what happened next, as now she was close enough for Queen Francesca to notice her. Sirena barely remembered to curtsy in her alcohol fogged brain.

"Lady Sirena, I must say, you look lovely in that color." She said, her voice slightly high pitched. Sirena noticed that she was always very focused on appearances.

"Thank you, your highness." Sirena smoothed the skirt of her pale blue gown. She had watched to change. Her eating disorder was behind her.

"Do you, by any chance, happen to know who the young lady in the purple is? The one dancing with the Italian prince? I can't tell with her mask on, and it's not our Michelle."

"Yeah. That's Amelia." Sirena began to ask about the choice of music, but the queen asked her another question.

"And who is that young man Michelle is dancing with?" She gestured to them, and Sirena saw Michelle was now dancing with a man, dressed in all black.

"No, I don't think so. I can't tell, at least with his mask."

"He looks like one of the guards. They were supposed to dress simply." Christine put in.

"Well, I must say, it's horribly inappropriate. Her engagement was just announced, for heavens' sake!" The queen sighed dramatically, and made a beeline for the rest of the Italian royals, leaving Sirena with Christine.

"They haven't stopped looking at each other since they started dancing." Christine pointed out.

"Who?"

"Michelle and that man. Look how close they are."

Sirena watched the pair, noticing that they were indeed very close. They seemed rather oblivious to everyone around them.

"Oh…anyway, do you think you can change the music anytime soon? No offense, but this classical stuff is getting kind of boring." In the back of her mind, Sirena knew she was being rude, but she was too intoxicated to care much.

"Yeah. After a little while. I know it's boring, but the queen insists. We'll switch over to the speakers after the cake is cut."

"Oh, that's fine. I just needed to know if I needed to take matters into my own hands." Sirena said mischievously. The music ended, and Andrew came over to reclaim his wife, leaving Sirena by herself. She spotted Amelia waving at her, rather frantically, and went to the brunette.

"What's up?" Sirena asked.

"You need to go dance with Prince Orlando." Amelia said frantically.

"What? Why? I've never even met the guy."

"Because Ethan wants to dance with me now, and Michelle and David left already." Amelia hissed.

"David? Who's that? And where did they go?"

"Just trust me. I promised to distract him." Amelia shoved her towards the dark haired prince. "Go!"

Sirena had no choice but to follow. Prince Orlando was in his mid-twenties. He wasn't unattractive, but then again…he wasn't that attractive. Sirena stopped one of the servants long enough to take a shot of something, before approaching Orlando.

"Prince Orlando?" She asked loudly. He turned, and smiled politely. "Hi, I'm Sirena Mastrano. I've just been dying to meet you. Michelle has told me so much about you! Would you like to dance?"

"Of course! You are in Prince Ethan's Selection, no?" He said in his heavy Italian accent. Sirena nodded. "Such a strange way to choose a bride. By the way, have you seen Michelle, lately?"

"Uh, I don't think she was feeling very well." Sirena lied. _Speaking of which…_She was suddenly feeling very nauseous. _Too much to drink. _She tried to keep a smile on her place and listen to Orlando drone on about the beauty of the Selection, but if she didn't get out of here soon, she was going to throw up all over him. Finally, the dance ended, and Sirena bolted, leaving whatever was going on with Michelle to Amelia. She made her way to the first open door on the far side of the ball room. They were propped open, leading to the terrace, which was thankfully relatively empty Sirena ignored them, and hurried down the stairs into the gardens. She collapsed on the first bench she came to, and threw up behind a rosebush. The action was painful, but in a weird way, Sirena was almost happy, that she wasn't doing it to herself. _Stupid, stupid, stupid. _She ranted at herself. _How stupid do you have to be to get totally wasted an hour into the party? God, this is so embarrassing. _She wiped her mouth with a drink napkin she had stuffed in the pocket of her dress, where she kept her lipstick.

"Sirena?"

She jumped at the sound of her name, and turned.

"Ethan. Hi." She felt her face go red.

"I was just talking to Taylor, but she went back to her room."

"Why?"

"She had escorted several of the men here in the past, and didn't want to face them. And she had a headache. Are you okay?"  
Sirena couldn't help but laugh. "Yeah, I'm fine. This isn't what it looks like."

"Have you been eating?"

"_Drinking _is a more apt term. I guess I should never drink on an empty stomach." She laughed, then realized her joke really wasn't that funny. "I'm an idiot." She mumbled, rubbing her forehead.

"Sirena, don't lie to me." Ethan's accusation was cold on her ears. She looked up.

"I'm not. I swear. I'm just…I had a little too much to drink, okay? This is the first party I've been to since this whole thing started."

"You promised you would stop."

"Ethan, I did stop! I told you, I'm drunk."

"You're lying to yourself, Sirena. You have to fight this." Ethan put both hands on her shoulders, forcing her to look at him.

At this, Sirena threw off his hands, now angry—and still pretty intoxicated. "I am! It's all behind me now! I swear. My maids had to let out this dress because I gained back a lot of weight. I swear, this isn't what it looks like."

"Look, I'm just trying to help you!" Ethan's voice was louder, and he held up his hands in protest.

"Then listen to me!" Sirena yelled. "Why don't you believe me? Ugh!" She pushed him aside, and stormed back up to the terrace and into the ballroom. She stopped one of the servants with a little tray of appetizers, and loaded up a napkin with the little spring roll things. She made sure Ethan, who was coming back inside, saw her. She shook her head.

Men.

…

Nat found Sirena scowling, noticeably without a glass of something alcoholic, indulging on some food.

"What are you doing?" Nat asked.

"I'm looking at all the other cute boys and eating." Sirena dead-panned. "Prince Ethan thinks he's some sort of safety officer."

"He does?" Nat resisted the temptation to laugh. Despite all their differences, Sirena was just like Nicole when she was mad.

"Yeah. And don't drink that before dinner." Sirena snatched away Nat's champagne.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I'm fine." Sirena frowned, and stabbed her spring roll into the dipping sauce. Nat smirked.

"Seriously, you think I'd fall for that? What happened?"

"I got a little carried away with the drinks and threw up in the garden." Sirena muttered. "And Ethan found me and…well, that's pretty much it."

"Really? That's it? I thought he would have kicked you out or something." Nat teased. "Hey, what you need is another boy to distract you."

"Are you kidding? We're in the Selection. We can't just get a boyfriend…"Sirena rolled her eyes.

"It's just a dance. Or two. Just until they announce dinner." Nat scanned the surrounding people, looking for someone to cheer her friend up. She spotted a guy she didn't know passing by them, dressed in a cheap-looking gray suit, and a plain black mask. She stepped forward, and touched his arm, towing Sirena along behind her.

"Hey, you. Come dance with my friend." She said loudly, emboldened by the few glasses she'd had of champagne. The man stopped and looked down at her. Nat had always been fairly average in height, but he towered over her. He had longish dark, curly hair, with just enough stubble on his cheeks to give him an undone appearance. She glanced back at Sirena, but the redhead crossed her arms defiantly.

"What is her name?" The man asked, his voice low. He coughed, and cleared his throat.

"Sirena. She's a little drunk, but she needs to dance." Nat laughed, shoving Sirena forward. The man backed up.

"She's part of the Selection?" Incredulity broke his voice. He swallowed and his eyes moved to Nat, who nodded.

"Yeah, but we're still allowed to dance…"

"Nat, this is stupid. I'm going to find Ethan. I have a few things to say to him." Sirena flipped her hair and spun around and disappeared into the throngs of people. Nat moved to follow her, but a hand on her arm stopped her. She turned to find the man holding her in place. She met his eyes, feeling a shiver go up her spine. He seemed so familiar. His forehead creased above the line of his mask, and his jaw tightened.

"Nat." He whispered. "Come with me." His grip on her arm tightened.

Then it hit her.

"Oh my goodness. Ben."

Before she could react, he pulled her back to the entrance, and into the empty main hall.

"Nat, listen to me. You have to get-"

"Ben, what the _hell _are you doing here?" She hissed, half tempted to slap him. "What made you even think you had the right to be here!? I can't believe this. Let me go!" She shoved him backwards, and turned to enter the ballroom again, but he stopped her.

"Listen to me!" He kept this voice low, barely above a whisper. "You have to get out of here. I didn't come here to hurt you. Get your sister, and leave."

"Yeah, sure, just leave. Ben, we're not even allowed to go to the stables without Ethan. Do you really think I can just _go_?"

"They don't let you ride? That must be awful for you." Ben's voice softened. Nat wrenched her gaze away from him, his hazel eyes holding too many memories. She gritted her teeth.

"Ben, listen. I'm sorry I joined the Selection, okay? I'm sorry for not telling you. I don't understand why you have to come here and do all of this just to get revenge on me?" Nat's voice rose to hysterics. "I didn't really want to join in the first place! I didn't ask to come here, and have to do all this, and get shot at. But here I am, and here you are, and-" Before she could finish her rant, Ben stepped forward and silenced her with a fierce kiss. Nat leapt backwards, and slapped him as hard as she could.

"What are you doing?" She demanded, her yell more of a sob, her palm stinging. She balled up her fists, angry that his mask had cushioned most of her blow. "Do you have any idea what would happen to both of us if anyone saw that? Just get out of here!"

"I never would have let them kill you. And I can't. Not unless you come with me. Or at least leave. Look, I didn't come here just to upset you. I can't explain, but trust me. You have to get out of here."

"You're crazy." Nat spun around back to the ballroom, but again, Ben stopped her. He wrenched her arm backwards, so close his familiar scent washed over her.

"Don't you understand, Nat?" His voice was desperate, and it scared her. "I'm not supposed to be doing this! I wasn't supposed to talk to anyone, just do it and get out. But I can't. I can't let you get hurt."

Nat shivered, her fear rising. She swallowed, and crossed her arms. "Why would I get hurt?" Her voice was steadier now.

Ben opened his mouth, and released a deep breath. "I can't tell you. But know this. I hurt you once, and I let you go. It was the worst mistake of my entire life. I'm not going to let that happen again." He hesitated, and then added one more thing. "And I love you."

Nat pulled away, half in love with him, and this time, he didn't stop her. "Just go." She said, shaking her head. "Leave me alone." She retreated to the ballroom as fast as she could in her heels.

Sirena was dancing wildly on one of the tables, and the music had changed to something a little livelier and popular. Brushing past Michaela and Katherine, Nat headed to where she spotted Nicole talking to Amber, but she was stopped.

"Nat, I've been looking for you." Ethan said, approaching her, leaving behind as pouting Cordelia. "Would you like to dance?"

Nat inwardly winced. She only wanted to talk to Nicole, who would understand, and not be at this stupid party anymore.

"Um, sorry. Not right now. I'm not feeling very well?"

"Are you sick?"

"Not exactly." Nat looked sideways, hoping he couldn't tell what had just happened.

"What's wrong?"

"It's kinda personal."

"Oh…OH!" Ethan blushed wildly. "Sorry, I'm not used to being around girls so much…" His face was scarlet.

"No, not that!" Nat resisted the temptation to roll her eyes. She would never understand why boys freaked out when they thought girls were on their periods. Ben had always done that. She saw Nicole heading towards them. "Hey, why don't you dance with Nicole?" She gestured to her twin. Before any of them could say anything, she bolted into the crowd, heading back to her room. She just wanted to be alone.

…

"What's up with her?" Nicole wrinkled her brow, watching her sister disappear. Ethan shrugged.

"She said she wasn't exactly feeling well. And it was personal. And it wasn't…you know." Ethan gestured with his arm to nothing, waiting for Nicole read his mind, and let his arm fall limply to the side.

"Huh?" Nicole was now thoroughly confused.

"Well, I thought she might…you know…be…on her…" Ethan looked away, and Nicole could tell he was thoroughly embarrassed when it came to womanly issues.

"She's not. But I have no idea why she was acting like that."

"Me neither. Anyway, would you like to dance?"

"I'd love to!"

Nicole took his arm, and allowed him to spin her around. She had never been one to enjoy pop music, but most of the other couples—barring Sirena—had managed to dance pretty decently to it. Still, seeing Nat so close to tears bothered Nicole. Something was up.

"She's been weird lately. I think she misses going horseback riding. She broke her arm when we were thirteen, and couldn't ride. After about a week, she would cry all the time. Once she could ride again, though, she was fine."

"I could give her access to the stables. She'd have to take guards with her, or maybe Christine or Michelle, but if that would make her feel better…"

"It probably would. The only other time I've seen her like this is right before we came here."

…

Gracie watched Nicole and Ethan dance together. They seemed nervous around each other, talking seriously, and dancing somewhat awkwardly together. She tried not to be jealous. Nicole was one of her closest friends here. She tried to distract herself by admiring Lissa's sixteen layer birthday cake. She hadn't talked to Ethan once since her date. And now Lissa and Nicole was getting all this attention and she hadn't even said hi to him tonight. She sniffed heartily, and tried not to cry, but it was becoming pretty hard. She had just been speaking to the head pastry chef at the palace, but he had to go, and now she was basically alone.

"Those sugar flowers are absolutely gorgeous. And that piping has to be one of a master." Gracie mumbled to herself.

"I bet you must have begged to help make that." A voice came behind her. Gracie jumped, and whirled around.

"Ethan? Ohmigosh, I thought you were dancing with Nicole!"

"I was. She went to go talk to Nat. Something's wrong. So how've you been, Gracie?"

"Well, your family sure knows how to throw a party! I almost didn't recognize you." Gracie blushed, and tucked a loose strand of hair back.  
"It's okay. This stuffy mask has been hiding me all night long. Not yours though. It's pretty."  
"Thanks. So I take it you don't like masquerades?" Gracie couldn't quell her excitement. Her wish had basically just come true!  
"Actually, I do. It's one of the times where I can just be Ethan." He shoved his hands in his pockets, and studied the cake before them.

"Oh. Well I think your mask is pretty handsome." Gracie didn't really know what else to say.  
"You don't have to lie, Gracie. I know that Wesley's mask is much cooler."  
"Cool wouldn't be my word for it. Funny, but not cool. Besides, it is his birthday. I mean, if a sixteen layer cake says anything."  
Ethan laughed, and Gracie couldn't help but smile. His laugh had that effect on her. "That's true." He said. "I still can't believe they made a cake that large. It hasn't sunk in yet that they made an equally large one for Lissa yet either."  
"That is truly a baking feat to accomplish. I have never done anything like that."  
"I wonder how they made them. Like, did they chose a different flavor for each layer?"  
Gracie jumped at the chance to tell him. The only thing she liked more than talking about cake was talking about horses, or either to Ethan. "They did! One of the bakers told me all about it. Lissa couldn't decide what flavor she wanted, or what design, so she just chose a bunch for the cake. The bottom is vanilla with raspberry creme filling, the second is chocolate peppermint, the third lemon meringue, the fourth was... umm... I forgot. I remember the flavors though, just not the order. The other flavors were black forest, lavender cocoa with blueberry filling, almond coconut, cherry vanilla with chocolate chips, pina colada with real pineapple, chocolate peanut butter, banana creme pie, salted caramel, root beer float, berry cobbler, raspberry pistachio, and key lime cheesecake. Plus, they also had to make rainbow sherbet, champagne and raspberry, Maraschino cherry, mint chip milkshake, chunky monkey, Shirley Temple, cola, snickerdoodle, twinkie, tiramisu, maple bacon, funnel cake and creamsicle cupcakes."  
"Wow. That's just intense. And, well, wow. They really made that many cake and cupcake flavors?"  
Gracie giggled. "Lissa is like a princess tonight. Whatever she wanted they were commanded to make for her."  
"By who?"  
"I'm not supposed to tell you, Ethan."  
"Come on Gracie. It's probably just palace gossip. Besides, I'm the second prince of Illea. You have to tell me." He teased.  
"Well, okay then. My maids said Prince Wesley gave them the order to do so."

"Why would Wesley do that? My brother is selfish to the core."  
"I'm not sure. I have an inkling, but it's not much. He probably just wanted to make Lissa happy for the night."  
"Somehow that just doesn't sound right to me. Wesley would never do something just out of the goodness of his heart. Unless it was to cause mischief."  
"Well, he also gets twenty-two different flavors of yummy cake out of it."  
"Now that is starting to sound like my brother."  
Gracie giggled. She would happy to stand here and talk to him the rest of her life. She was giddy and excited, and her head was all but spinning. This must be what love felt like.

…

Lissa tentatively ventured out into the gardens. She had seen Wesley go into the gardens, so she knew he wanted her to follow him. Nerves knotted her stomach as the music faded behind her, and the cool evening air whispered across her skin. Seeing no sign of Wesley, she straightened her pink gown, and touched her hair one final time. She decided to take off her mask. It was fun to wear, but it was kinda itchy.

"Wesley?" She called out.

"Lis, over here." She heard him call out softly after a second. She couldn't help but grin, and follow the sound of his voice. She found him sitting on a bench, in front of a rose bush dotted with stunning pale pink roses.

"Hi." She said breathlessly. He too had taken his mask off, and now there was no doubt for her that he was better looking than his brothers.

"These reminded me of you." He handed her one of the pink roses. Blushing, Lissa took it, and sat down next to him, her thigh brushing his through the fabric of her dress.

"Not fair. You've got me two things, and I didn't get you anything." She said, smoothing the rose's petals with her fingertips.

"That's not entirely true." Wesley said, his voice soft and husky. They were very close again. Lissa heart banged against her ribs, and her breathing quickened. "Lis, I know you're in Ethan's Selection, but…" He placed his hand along the side of her face. "I can't stop thinking about you." He leaned closer.

_This is it. He's going to kiss me. _For some reason, Lissa just knew he was. She shut her eyes, waiting for the kiss.

But it never came.

Instead, an explosion rocked the palace.

…

**YOU GUYS HAVE NO IDEA HOW LONG I'VE BEEN WAITING TO WRITE THIS…ONLY YOU'VE PROBABLY BEEN WAITING FOREVER TO READ IT TOO I CAN'T STOP USING ALL CAPS! **

**New faces in this chapter: if you're really visual like me, you need a picture. I always pictured David as Tim Pocock, and Ben as Aidan Turner, if you want to look them up. Wes has always been Hunter Hayes for me, too. **

**Okay, just to clarify, Ben is NOT going to go all Aspen. You'll find out more in the next chapter. **

**Speculate in your reviews! I would love to hear what you think is going to happen!**

**-Shades**


	40. Wait For What?

**The Story: Pinterest. I used to think it was stupid and scoff when people asked me if I had one…then I made an account and used it once and now I'm hooked! So on my profile, I have a link to a board inspired this story! If any of my consistent readers want to PM me your username and follow, I'll try to figure out how to let you guy's pin stuff! **

**That includes these guys, since they review EVERY STINKIN TIME! Love ya'll! **4Love4Love4, UltimateMaxmericaShipper, the5SOS-YAfangirl, delovlies, fairy not princess, and Demigod-Gallagher-Selected, **plus the two guests, **smiley face, **and **Everafterhigh587. **Love hearing from new (or maybe not!) readers! **

**Sorry this took forever, I basically planned out the story until last chapter…so I had some scene staging to do. And then my computer decided to break, so yay…*groans* Sorry if I usually review your story and haven't, this temporary replacement computer has issues.**

…

_An explosion rocked the palace._ One minute everything was normal. The next minute, it was not. Without warning, an explosion detonated in the main hall, right out side the Great Room.. A second later, another explosion erupted just outside the main entrance at one end of the Main Hall, almost simultaneously with the entrance at the other end, facing the gardens, shattering the glass doors that hadn't already been broken by the initial explosions. Two smaller dentations happened immediately after, both at the drive way entrance just outside the walls. Several others happened just after, at different points around the wall.

It was an unprecedented event. The rebels had never done anything on this scale. Since the formation of Illea and the monarchy, the Angeles Palace had never been attacked. The rebel movement had only just began, sparked by the takeover of Yukon. Small, scattered attacks had taken place on service offices, but never before had anyone attempted to attack the palaces. It was the rebels, who else could it be? Never before had their operations reached such a scale. The takeover of Yukon had been pretty violent, but it had taken weeks of standoffs, nothing on this scale had happened. Nothing had been attempted on the royal family.

As the protective walls surrounding the palace came down, and smoke cleared, the guards who hadn't been killed in the explosions tried in vain to defend the palace against the forces of rebels pouring in through the gaps in the walls, but most of them were shot down. They didn't stand a chance.

Out in the garden, Lissa and Wesley were thrown from the bench, and onto the ground. Lissa screamed, and Wesley covered her with his own body, trying to shield her from the glass that shot out from the glass doors surrounding the Great Room, and whatever else was to come. He didn't know. The lit garden and all the lights flickered and then went out, plunging everything into darkness. He counted the two subsequent explosions, and then everything went eerily silent. Then came the screams, and the gunshots. The crackling of fire was ever present. They didn't hear or register the explosions breaking through the walls.

Disoriented and terrified, Lissa was overtaken a nearly paralyzing sense of fear. Her thoughts were racing. She tried to make sense of what or how or why had just happened, struggling to breathe in the smoke filled air. She felt Wesley roll off of her, glass crackling at his movement.

"Lis, are you hurt?" He asked frantically. Lissa sat up, wincing at the deep cut on her forearm from the glass. She saw Wesley was bleeding from far more cuts than her, and felt almost guilty.

"I'm fine." She said. She shook glass shards from her hair, feeling strangely detached. "What was that?"

"I have no idea. But my guess is the rebels." They could hear gunshots from inside the palace now, and the cries of those intensified. Wesley grabbed her hand.

"C'mon. We have to get out of here." He pulled her along after him.

"Where?"

"We can't go back inside. To the woods. We can hide there for now." He pointed to the wooded area surrounding the gardens, between them and the surrounding walls.

"What about your parents? And the other girls?" Lissa stopped, forcing Wesley to stop too.

"Lis…" Wesley gritted his teeth, the fire from inside bathing his face in an orange tone. "I can't do anything about them now. My dad told me once that if something like this ever happened that I had to protect myself and let myself be protected. And I couldn't worry about them, because I had myself to worry about. One of us has to stay alive."

In that moment, Wesley looked so young, so lost, and so scared. He reached for her other hand. "Promise me you won't look back. Promise me you'll keep your self safe."

"But…you're the prince…" Lissa whispered. More gunfire crackled inside, yet Lissa couldn't bring herself to move. He was so close now.

"A prince who's in love with you." He whispered softly, one hand brushing her cheek. "Promise?"

"Promise." Lissa breathed, his forehead brushing hers.

"Good." He leaned down, and Lissa closed her eyes…

A gun cocked behind them.

The two whirled around. A man in a black mask aimed a small but intimidating revolver at them. Lissa froze, and Wesley stepped instinctively in front of her.

"Look what we got here." He said, sauntering a step closer. "If it ain't the little prince. Playin' around with one of your brother's whore's, are ya?"

Lissa could see Wesley tense up, but he didn't respond. The insult flew off Lissa. It wasn't the first time she had been called that. Wesley squeezed her hand.

"Run when I tell you." Promise He hissed through gritted teeth, barely moving his lips. Lissa squeezed his hand back in response.

"Hey, Adam, Jack, get over here. Look'a what I found!" The man yelled. Lissa slipped out of her heels. She couldn't run in them. He turned back to Lissa and Wesley. "Ya kids think your lucky? Missed all the excitement playin' out here? Well guess what? This little monarchy is over." He shoved his finger at Wesley's chest. "Your father knows what's going on in this country, and he doesn't do anything about it. All he cares about are these stupid little traditions." His gaze shifted to Lissa. "Hear that, slut?" His voice was cruel, and though Lissa had been called that, and worse, to be called that in front of Wesley hurt more than it should. "You're one a' the Sevens, too, ain't ya? The king knows, and doesn't do a damn thing about it."

"Is that true, Wesley?" Lissa's voice came out as a whisper. Could he have even known about the attack? Was this all a game for him? Wesley didn't look back at her, just stared ahead, but his hands balled up into fists.

"The Selection is a joke. And it will never happen again. This one never should have happened either. Bet it's nice for you, though. Lotsa girls around to play with." He grinned, his eyes glowing maliciously. "No reason you should have all the fun, though." He took a step towards Lissa. She froze up.

"Touch her and I'll kill you." Wesley's voice was surprisingly calm, and it seemed to surprise the rebel. Lissa exhaled slowly. She was safe for now. Wesley would protect her.

But the rebel laughed.

It caught both of the two off guard.

"Ya think you can stop me, you little stuck up good for nothing brat? At least you stood up for your girl. More than your dad did. He begged us not to kill him. Even let his wife go first. Killed her myself I did."

"You're lying." Wesley spoke through a clenched jaw, his fists balled up tighter, knuckles white. "My father would never do that. You're a liar."

"You think you're tough, huh? Let's see what you-"

In that instant, Wesley lunged for the rebel with savage yell.

"Run, Lis!" he cried. Lissa was so surprised; it took her a moment to react. "Go!" He shouted, tackling the rebel, and trying to keep the gun from going off. Lissa came to her senses, and bolted. The glass cut at her bare feet, but she kept running. She had never been in the gardens before, but she could see them from her room. Where the gardens ended, there was manicured grass and paddocks for the horses, and then a sculpted forest around the inside perimeter of the walls.

She hiked up the skirt of her pink ball gown, the masquerade seeming like a lifetime ago. Tears of fear coursed down her cheeks and she gasped for breath, resisting the temptation to fall to the ground and cry. She was terrified. Even as a Seven, she'd never experienced anything like this before. She sprinted across the grass, strangely dark. Even in the middle of the night, the landscape lighting kept the garden bathed in a soft golden light. The earlier drizzle had picked up again, and thunder rumbled ominously far away. Lissa tripped, and stumbled to the ground, crying harder now. She looked over her shoulder as climbed to her feet. The Great Room was burning, smoke and ash belching from the roof. The orange and red glow was the only light. She couldn't see Wesley, but she kept running. She had made a promise. She reached the woods, and fell again, feeling somewhat safer under the cover of the trees. Her chest heaving as she struggled to regain her breath. Any second now, Wesley would come right behind her, and he would finally kiss her, and everything would be fine.

A gun went off, once, twice. Lissa jumped to her feet. The rebel's gun. More gunshots pierced the air.

"Wesley!" She screamed, venturing back out of the tree cover. If something happened to him…

"Wesley!" She tried to yell again, but it came out more of a sob. "Wesley!"

She bit back a shriek as someone from behind her covered her mouth, smashing her against whomever it was. She tried to kick herself free, but his arms were too strong.

"Shhh, Lis, it's me." _Wesley_. He whispered it in her ear, and wrapped one arm around her waist. Lissa saw why she had to be quiet. The walls surrounding the palace lay in ruins. They were about twenty feet away. Too close. The dead bodies of at least a dozen guards lay scattered about, blood staining their uniforms. Rebels stood around the new gap in the walls, sitting on piles of rubble, smoking cigarettes and laughing.

Slowly, Wesley uncovered her mouth, and wrapped that arm around her, pulling her tight against his chest. And even though danger was right in front of them, Lissa felt safe.

She didn't know how long they stayed there. Neither of them moved out of fear of being discovered. After a while, it began to drizzle, which turned into rain, soaking them. They couldn't see the palace, or what was happening. It was torture. Lissa became aware of something seeping through her dress, just above her hip, pressed against Wesley's side, towards the back. She looked down, and touched the place. Blood. Wesley was bleeding. She tried to turn towards him, but he squeezed her shoulders, forcing her to stop.

As the rain picked up, several of the rebels left, jogging towards the palace. Little by little, they all left. Some went towards the palace, and others left in the other direction. When they had all left, Wesley grabbed her hand, and they ran. When they were a safe distance away, in the heart of the forest, and away from the breached walls, Wesley staggered to a stop, falling on one knee.

"Wes, are you okay? What happened?" Lissa practically fell on him.

"Sorry about your dress…" He moaned softly. His face was deathly pale, and he was shaking. She helped him sit down, leaning against a tree.

Lissa almost rolled her eyes. "I don't care about that. Are you okay?" She demanded, ripping at the buttons on his tux, the jacket stained with blood. Wesley groaned, and winced as she moved aside the fabric. Blood was everywhere, staining his starched white shirt. Lissa covered her mouth with her hands. "Wesley…" She whispered, her voice shaking. "What happened?"

"Gun…" He managed, his eyes closing.

"We have to get help! This is bad, Wes, this is bad."

"There's no help. You heard what he said. My parents are dead. Probably everyone is."

"You don't know that."

"We'll just wait here until morning. Then we'll have to try to get out. I just hope someone around here is still sympathetic to the monarchy. Eventually, we'll have to get out…" Wesley trailed off, his mouth slightly open, his face white.

"Wesley?" Lissa shook him gently. No response. He was still breathing, but every breath brought more and more blood out of the gunshot wound in his side.

Lissa started crying—she couldn't help it. There was nothing left to do, except wait.

But for what?

…

**So not as long as the last few, but about the length as the ones before. Sorry to end on another cliffhanger, but I'm sure you all will prefer a short update now than a long one later. **maxie** and **YA **I know you guys want to kill me now! I don't want to spoil much, but not everything the rebel said was true. **

**Don't forget to check out the pinterest page, and review!**

**-Shades**


	41. Once and For All

**The Story: That moment when you get to slow dance with last years crush for drama practice and possibly for the whole play. And you're incredibly awkward and sweaty but so is he, and his hands aren't clammy, and he's really good at holding your hand, but you spend the whole time avoiding eye contact. And that's no okay, because in this story they have secret spilling, seamless waltzing conversations and everyone's pretty. Moral of The Story: Can I just be Evangeline Lilly? **

**So still having computer issues, but I will get back to everyone who updated or messaged me soon, I promise! Thank you guys for reviewing, I wish you all hot guys asking you out! **UltimateMaxmericaShipper, majestictales, delovlies, the5SOS-YAfangirl, 4Love4Love4, fairy not princess, Demigod-Gallagher-Selected, everafterhigh587, guest **and my new reviewer **SportyJpoo**!**

**Putting Lissa and Wesley on hold for now, sorry! Pretty much picks up right after the chapter before last. **

…

No one had expected it. And they were in trouble.

There was no where to go. The security of the palace had all been designed to keep any wrong-doer out-the walls, the guards, everything. But the walls were breached. The rebels had infiltrated, the Great Room was on fire, and guards were dead and dying. And worst of all, there was no where to go. A shoot-out was taking place on the main entrance of the palace. So far, the guards had kept the rebels back from entering, but it was only a matter of time.

Dizzy and confused, Nicole opened her eyes and tried to stand, but she was pinned under rubble from the explosion. She raised her head, trying to remember what happened. She watched, dazed, as several guards pulled the queen to her feet, and hustled her and King Jackson out of the Great Room, quickly followed by Andrew, Christine, Ethan, the Italian royal family, as well as Hana, Amber, and Gracie.

_The explosion...what happened? _Gunfire erupted, closer this time. Nicole kicked at the rubble on her, and crawled out. She coughed, trying to breathe in the thick smoky air. Still half stunned, she surveyed the scene.

Around her, people were dying. Several women were screaming out of pure shock. The Great Room lay in shambles. Fire was everywhere, but it didn't look like it was in too much danger of spreading. All of the delicate glass doors had shattered, and it was chaos. She could hear gunfire, and yelling. It was disorienting and terrifying. _Rebels. _

Nicole watched a guard help Amelia and Katherine up, and hurry them to the doors. Another guard was trying to get Elvira to follow them, but she jerked her arm away, shaking her head.

"I'm not going anywhere. I can defend myself, if I need to. I have training in these situations, just like you. I want to fight." She snapped.

"Lady Elvira, I have orders to get all of the Selected out of danger." The guard tried to argue.

"Screw the orders for me and help the others. I can fight. It's my job."

That seemed to jerk Nicole into action. This wasn't a dream. Something really bad had just happened, and Nicole had been fortunate enough to survive. Things had just gotten real.

She had been talking to Meagan and Autumn before the explosion. She didn't remember anything between that and opening her eyes. Sirena had been talking to Michaela next to them. Nicole looked around, trying to find her friends. She caught sight of the skirt of Autumn's white angel costume mostly buried under rubble from the ceiling, and felt the adrenaline kick in. She cleared away the debris, finding Autumn unconscious and bleeding from several cuts on her face and neck, but alive. Meagan was next to her, crying. She seemed to be in shock, and her arm was crooked at an awkward angle.

"Meagan?" Nicole helped her sit up. Meagan cried out, cradling her arm close to her chest.

"What happened?" Meagan looked up at Nicole, tears spilling down her cheeks.

"I don't know. But I have to get you out of here."

"My arm really hurts." Meagan said weakly. "I..."

A harried guard rushed up to them.

"Lady Nicole, you need to come with me. We need to get the Selected to safety." He said.

"Help her. I'm fine." Nicole said, swallowing. She had to be brave like Elvira. "And Autumn. She's unconscious."

"Right. Sorry, Lady Meagan, I didn't recognize you." The guard then barked into the handheld radio clipped to his forearm. "I lave Lady Nicole, Lady Meagan, and Lady Autumn accounted for. May require medical attention."

"Just get them out and to the west wing." Came the gargled reply.

"What's going on?" Meagan asked in a weak voice.

"We suspect its members of the rebellion, miss. We need to get the principles to safety, and your best shot is the west wing of the palace. Then we can get you all airlifted out—hopefully."

"But we're not allowed to go to the west wing. Sophia said so." Meagan said, dazed. The guard glanced at Nicole, a worried look in his eyes.

"I think we can make an exception, miss." He turned to Nicole. "I can carry Lady Autumn, if you can help Lady Meagan."

Nicole nodded, and he scooped up Autumn like she was a ragdoll. She helped Meagan stand, and supported her with one arm around her waist. She followed the guard through the melee. Meagan started crying, especially when they reached the doors. Another guard swept Meagan away from Nicole, and told her to wait for an escort, before leaving with the first guard.

_What? Wait for an escort? Why do I have to wait for an escort? I'm pretty sure the ball is over. _Nicole couldn't help but feeling angry at the stupidity of the situation. An escort!? If Nat were here…

_Shoot, where's Nat? _Nicole froze. The last place she remembered seeing her sister was right before she had danced with Ethan, about fifteen minutes before the explosion. Then Ethan had gone to talk to Gracie, and Autumn had dragged Nicole over to analyze every detail of her and Ethan's conversation. Nicole scanned the room anxiously for a familiar face. She saw Elvira and Adele running towards her and the main entrance.

"Have you guys seen Nat?" Nicole asked frantically. Elvira shook her head.

"You guys need to get out of here." She said, checking the ammo on the Uzi she had picked up.

"What about you?" Adele asked, her makeup smudged and her mask gone. She wiped at her eyes, and tried to look brave, but Nicole could see right through the actress.

"I'm trained for this. I can help."

"In a ballgown?" Adele pointed out.

"Yes, in a ballgown. Nicole, what happened?"

"A guard told me to wait for an escort here. They took Meagan and Autumn to the west wing."

"Okay, well I'll be your escort." Elvira scoffed. "The guards really need to fix their perspective on women." She muttered under her breath. "Take off your heels." She nodded at Nicole and Adele. They both quickly complied. Elvira could be pretty intimidating, but now, they trusted her. "When I say so, I'll open the doors, and you guys run as fast as you can to the west wing. I'll give you cover. Go as fast as you can, okay?"

Adele and Nicole both nodded.

"Okay. Let's go." Elvira wrenched open the doors, and Adele followed by Nicole dashed out. They both ran down the Main Hall, away from the front doors leading out to the front gardens and the driveway, where the guards were engaged in a firefight with the rebels. They passed the staircase leading to the second floor, and the dining room, and just before they turned to the west wing, by the exploded glass doors leading to the gardens, it happened.

As if in a dream, Nicole watched three guards shot dead as at least ten rebels advanced on the terrace leading to the gardens. She heard Adele scream, and Adele pulled her down at the rebels shot at them. Elvira returned fire, and the two guards from earlier came running from the west wing, and joined her. Not waiting to see what happened, Adele and Nicole, half running, half crawling, made it to the west wing. It was strangely quiet. It was a long hallway, one Nicole had never seen before. The rich red carpet matched the gilded ceilings, and the portraits of past kings and legislators stared down at them. In front of such a grand door that it could only be the king's office, a guard stood. He motioned them over, while speaking into his radio.

"Watch Six, I have Lady Adele and Lady Nicole."

"Watch Six, this is Crystal Palace, do you have the whereabouts of Lady Lissa, Lady Natalia, Lady Bryn, Lady Elvira, Lady Tatiana, Prince Wesley or Princess Michelle?" came the reply.

"Negative. Requesting immediate air support." He opened the doors for them, and closed them behind them, ending the eavesdropping.

The lights were off, and two more guards stood on this side of the door. Nicole spotted the king and queen, almost immediately. Prince Andrew and Princess Christine sat huddled in a corner, Christine crying. Prince Ethan stood with his hands in his pockets, staring at the ground. Most of the Selected girls were there too, except the ones the guard had mentioned. Felicity launched herself at Adele and the friends both started crying. Nicole stepped off to the side, now for the first time feeling Nat's absence. _I hope she's okay. _Nicole bit her lip, trying not to cry. _Nat, where are you? _

…

Nat had no idea what to do.

After her confrontation with Ben, she had fled almost out of habit to the stables. She knew she wasn't supposed to go there alone, but no one was around to stop her, and at that moment, she couldn't have cared less.

Now she wished she hadn't.

She had been crying into the mane of the horse she had ridden on her date with Ethan, trying to figure out what the hell Ben was doing here when the explosion happened.

_You have to get out of here. I didn't come here to hurt you. _

_I'm not supposed to be doing this. I wasn't supposed to talk to anyone, just do it and get out. But I can't. I can't let you get hurt. _

As Nat stood frozen in the stall, the horses whinnying in terror around her, she realized that Ben was behind the explosion. And that meant one thing. He was a rebel.

And she had no idea what to do now.

"I thought I might find you here."

The voice startled Nat, even if she knew he would find her. Ben emerged from the stable aisle, shadowed in the darkness. Nat knew she should feel scared, but she wasn't

"Why are you doing this?" Her throat was tight and her voice was strained. "Nicole's in there, all my friends are in there. Ben, the freaking king of Illea is in there. And because of you-" She gestured wildly. "They could die."

"How did you know it was me?" Ben asked softly.

"Because of what you said." She rested her hands on the gate to the stall, separating them.

"Well I didn't do it."

"Then what are you doing here, Ben?!" Nat crossed her arms. She didn't understand anything, especially her own feelings.

"No, that's not what I meant. I was supposed to set it off in the ballroom. But I couldn't. I couldn't be responsible for the deaths of those people. I couldn't maybe be responsible for your death. So call me a coward, but I couldn't do it. I set it off in the main hall instead. I can't even explain why I'm here."

Before Nat could reply, the eerie silence was broken as the doors of the stables were thrown open.

"Hide!" Ben pushed her down behind the stall gate.

"Hey, Ben! Watcha doin' in here?"

"I thought someone tried to hide in here. Some guards." Ben yelled quickly, his voice quavering slightly. "Why are you here, Adam?"

Nat tried to quiet her breathing, not wanting to find out what would happen to her if this Adam discovered her presence. She didn't want to, but she trusted Ben.

"Jimmy's wounded. His leg needs binding. Gunshot." The voice was getting closer now. "He can barely stand, much less walk. I have to get him out of here, so I thought we could take some of these marvelous creatures of the king's hands." The footsteps halted, right were Ben had been standing. Nat held her breath.

"That's terrible." Ben's voice was forced and nervous.

"What's even worse, is the bomb that was supposed to go off in the ballroom went off outside in the hall. The one you were supposed to set off."

"I-I made a mistake." Ben stammered.

"Your orders were clear, Ben. I shouldn't have chosen you. Not after what happened last time. Now move. I'm taking this horse."

The latch to the stall Nat hid in screeched open and began to open, before it banged shut.

"No, not that one!" Ben said frantically.

"Why not?" The voice of this Adam guy was skeptical.

"Uh…he's lame."

"And how'd you find that out, huh? What are you hiding?"

The stall gate was wrenched open. Nat fell forward with a startled cry.

"No!" Ben yelled, but it was too late.

…

**HAHAHHA everyone hates me for yet another cliffhanger! I decided to post it because I'm a horrible updater and **delovlies **won't let me go on pinterest in peace until I do. So I'm just building tension! **

**But seriously, sorry for that. I'll try to update faster!**

**-Shades**


	42. To What Ever End

**The Story: When you're so obsessed with something, that everything relates back somehow. And your guy friends think you're weird for obsessing over Orlando Bloom…and you become a deranged fangirl who gets emotional when someone mentions a name, but you still know everything about the fandom. This is my life now. **

**This chapter goes back to the people in the palace in Ethan's POV, still building tension for Lissa and Nat, sorry! Anyway, even though I write crappy short chapters and take weeks to update, these folks still review! Thanks **UltimateMaxmericaShipper, delovlies, the 5SOS-YAfangirl, 4Love4Love4, fairy not princess, Demigod-Gallagher-Selected, SportyJpoo, Perksofbeingminho, Smiley face, **and **Amber (guest). **Love ya'll!**

…

It felt like it would never end. Ethan didn't know how long they had hunkered down in his father's west wing office, waiting for something. But it had felt like a lifetime. Tatiana and Bryn had just stumbled in, crying and shaken up, but unhurt, other than some minor cuts. Autumn was still unconscious, and Megan had broken her arm. Taylor had sprained her ankle, and Michaela had a pretty severe gash on her shoulder. Lissa and Nat were still unaccounted for. Elvira was reportedly trying to help the guards, but she was safe. Wesley and Michelle were gone, too.

The cries of those in the ballroom had long since fallen silent, only the echoing of gunshots answering each other. Occasionally they were interrupted by the cry of a dying man.

But they were always getting closer and closer.

Ethan scanned the room. The girls sat huddled in groups, clinging to their friends. Some of them were crying, and some of them tried to look brave. But they were all terrified. Even Mackenzie was silent as she sat with Cordelia. She looked haunted, her makeup smeared with tears. Her hair was a mess. Sirena was by herself, staring blankly into space. Katherine, Amelia, a maid, and one of the guards trained in first aid were huddled around Michaela, trying to stop the bleeding on her shoulder. Michaela was white faced, and looked half-dead. Her sunny yellow dress was stained and ripped, and she kept passing in and out of consciousness. His mother sat with Christine, Andrew's suit coat draped over her shoulders, trying to help Megan. Gracie had sat down beside him, and she remained there, watching his every move. Nicole stood closest to the door, waiting for word of Nat.

The door opened, and two guards practically dragged Elvira in. Ethan jumped up. The dark haired girl struggled against the guards, but to no avail.

"Please make sure Lady Elvira stays here. We cannot ensure her safety." One of them said, as the other hurried to where the king and Andrew were talking in hushed tones. Elvira looked up at him.

"I can fight." She said desperately. "I have training, this is my duty! I cannot sit here useless, when there are others out there, fighting and dying."

"You will be safe here." Ethan told her as the guard left. "The other girls look up to you. They will feel safer with you here. There may come for a time of valor without renown."

"There is no honor in that. Not for me." Elvira said bitterly. "Let me fight."

"It is not in my power to command it."

"Then talk to your father."

"He won't listen. Not to me." Ethan glanced down.

"You are his son! Please." She practically begged. "I am a soldier of Illea. You would not have me hide with the others. He does not command the other guards to stay and fight."

Before Ethan could reply, the door opened, and the captain of the guard rushed in.

"What news?" Ethan asked. It was torture not to know what was happening.

"We must move you. They have taken the main hall, and will soon be here. We are setting up a defense, but their men number too many." The captain pushed him aside, and hurried to the king. Ethan followed.

"Sire, the rebels have taken the main hall. We need to move you, as we are setting up a defensive zone in the first offices of the west wing."

"Can we not get airlifted out?" Andrew butted in.

"No, they've bombed the support base. Our men are loyal, but we are outnumbered. The rebels are too many."

"Do you know the whereabouts of my son and daughter?" King Jackson asked.

"Sir, we have confirmation that those who remained in the ballroom have been taken hostage. They are mostly being held in the dining room. We have not accounted for your children, or Lady Natalia and Lady Lissa."

"Is there no way to help them?" To Ethan, it seemed his father was suddenly much older.

"Our men number too few." The captain said softly. "We can hold them off as long as we can, but I fear that will not be enough. But you are our king. And we will follow you to whatever end."

"Call in the army. I will not let this country fall again." King Jackson lifted his head higher.

"Father, don't you need the support of the legislators-" Ethan began.

"I will not let the freedom of this nation fall while I still defend it. Our men still defend it. They have died defending it." King Jackson silenced Ethan with a glare. "How long will it take for them to arrive?"

"Too long. I fear the palace will be overrun by then."

"Is there no way to get my family and the Selected to safety?"

"It is our first priority. Will move you down further in the hall, and try to keep the rebels from the west wing. At the moment, the stables have not been bombed or guarded. If it comes to it, we can try to get you out on horseback."

"What about the rest of the country? Has it been attacked?"

"There are reports of increased violence in Yukon. Yet nearly four hundred refugees have escaped into Calgary."

"If we have to flee, where can we go?" Andrew voiced a question, the same on Ethan's mind. He didn't want to infuriate his father anymore, but he felt responsible for all the girls.

"Right now, one of the smaller vacation estates. If it comes to that, we will determine the safest one. Hopefully there will be enough guards left to protect you."

"Father, Elvira can fight. She's a trained soldier, and she refuses to stay in here." Ethan said, stepping closer.

"Keep the Selected safe, Ethan. There is no need to be the hero." King Jackson said dismissively. "Andrew never jeopardized the lives of his Selected."

Ethan bit back a retort of _I am not my brother _or _why is this suddenly my fault? _He looked down at his shoes, silent. His father turned back to the captain of the guard.

"Arrange for us to move to the end of the west wing. There is a servant's entrance where we can make for an escape." King Jackson said. He motioned for his wife to join him. Queen Francesca got up from her seat and the captain of the guard left quickly. While his parents talked in whispers, Ethan walked to where Elvira was waiting.

"I'm sorry, but he refuses." Ethan said sullenly. "But we do need to move, and some of the girls are hurt. Can you help them?"

Elvira nodded; her eyes downcast. Ethan felt heat creep into his cheeks. This girl was braver than him. And she was beautiful, with her dark curls and creamy skin. She challenged him. Ethan wanted to say something more, but he knew he would just make a mess of it. A smatter of loud gunshots—now closer than ever—came from outside. There was a lot of yelling, and then eerie silence. Ethan heard a sob, and turned. Gracie looked up from where she was sitting, looking rather pathetic in her fairy costume now. She suddenly launched herself at him in an unexpected hug, burying her face in his chest. Even in her heels, she was pretty short. Caught off guard, Ethan patted her on the back.

"When is it going to end? I'm so scared!" She sobbed loudly. Ethan didn't know what to say. Luckily, he was saved.

The door flew open, followed by a burst of gunfire. Many of the girls screamed. Michelle and an unfamiliar guard, holding her hand. An answering burst of gunfire was answered by several guards guarding the doors to the office.

"Michelle!" Queen Francesca cried, rushing towards her daughter, and embracing her. "Where were you?"

"Trying to get to you all." Michelle said breathless, her brown hair a mess. She turned to the guard she had entered with, and Ethan watched his mother frown. Sirena and Amelia exchanged a glance.

"Who is this?" Queen Francesca said.

"He got me out of the ballroom. He saved my life." Michelle said quickly, letting go of his hand.

"I don't recall you were in the ballroom when the explosion happened." King Jackson put in.

"I wasn't. I went back to my room for a moment. I needed to change shoes." She said, her words running over each other. Queen Francesca turned to the guard who had arrived with Michelle.

"I thank you for saving my daughter, sir. What is your name?"

"David Poldark, your highness." The sandy haired man said, not looking up. "Just doing my job."

"Well, I suggest you continue to do so, and report to your captain." Queen Francesca said coldly.

"Mother, this man saved my life." Michelle's voice was frantic.

"Poldark, are you wounded?" King Jackson asked. The young guard shook his head. "Then you are released of your duty to my daughter. She is safe. I suggest you take your leave."

"Yes, sir." David said, exchanging a quick glance with Michelle, before leaving. Michelle watched him go, before clearing her throat, and asking for a report on what was going on.

Gracie had detached herself from Ethan during the excitement, for which he was somewhat grateful for. The captain of the guard returned, bringing news that the army base in Angeles had been called upon to come defend the palace, and that it was time to move. They would go in pairs as fast as they could, and get to the end of the hall, to the captain of the guard's office. It was more secure than any of the others, and was right by the servant's entrance. The guards would give them cover, as the rebels still hadn't made it to the west wing. Several of the guards and the two maids that were with them took Michaela, Autumn, Megan and Taylor out first. Elvira volunteered to go with them. Next, Andrew and Christine went, followed by Queen Francesca and one of the legislators that had made it out. The king went alone, shadowed by a heavy security detail. The rest of the legislators, and the dignitaries who had gotten out went, and then it was only the Selected girls and Ethan and Michelle. The captain of the guard motioned for them to go.

"Get the girls out first." Ethan commanded. Michelle nodded, but she looked nervous and worried. A brief crescendo in the gunshots halted progress, but soon, it was clear. Most of the girls wanted to go with their friends, but the captain of the guard told Michelle to pair them up with the girls who were calmer. Hana and Tatiana went, then Amber and Dorianne, and then Bryn and Erin, Cordelia and Mackenzie refused to go unless they were together, with an extra guard. Ethan rolled his eyes, but Michelle looked ready to slap them.

"Those men are not dying for spoiled brats like you two. Just run for it." She growled. Ethan suspected that David meant more to her than she had let on. Cora and Amelia left next, followed by gunshots. The captain of the guard ran in.

"Are they okay?" Katherine asked frantically.

"They're fine, but you guys might not be. They just launched an RPG, and took out six of our guys."

Michelle gasped, her face white, and Gracie burst into tears. Rory looked sick. "Lady Rory, Lady Felicity, go." The captain pushed them outside. Adele tried to follow.

"Felicity was supposed to go with me!" She cried. Gracie burst into hysterical tears.

"It doesn't matter now. You'll be lucky if you get out now." The captain said. "Wait here, and get ready to all go." He left for a moment, and Ethan tried to remember the man's name. Gracie's sobbing grew louder and louder, despite Nicole and Katherine trying to comfort her.

"Your highnesses, we need you two to move." The captain said, coming back in.

"I'm not leaving the girls here alone." Ethan said, remembering his father's words.

"Fine, take them with you, just run!" The captain said, throwing open the door. Nicole grabbed Gracie's arm, and dragged the hysterical girl out into the hall. Ethan, Michelle, Sirena, Adele, and Katherine followed them. Adele screamed as she saw the rebels taking shots at them. They missed, and the three guards outside the door—David, the captain, and another—took them out. The third guard was struck, and fell.

"_David!_" Michelle cried. The captain pushed David towards them.

"Keep them safe." He said, before charging towards where the rebels were, his gun firing over and over again. It gave them the chance they needed to run. There were still a few guards taking refuge in the first few offices of the hall, but they were losing. The end of the hall seemed so far away now. David grabbed Michelle and pushed her into one of the offices about halfway down. Adele followed him, and Ethan helped Nicole get Gracie into the office, where Gracie then fainted. Sirena and Katherine had to backtrack, but they made it into the office.

"Barricade the entry." David commanded, dragging the heavy desk in front of the door. Michelle followed suit, helping him. Adele and Nicole set about moving a large cabinet. Once all the furniture was in front of the door, and the window was covered, the eight of them cowered in the corner.

"He let us get away…" Katherine whispered her voice thick and strained. "And now he's dead."

"All of us take that risk." David murmured his arm around Michelle. The gunshots were getting closer, office by office.

"Now we're stuck in here." Sirena was close to tears.

"If it comes to it, we can try to get out the window. We're on the first floor, but it's still pretty high up, and I don't know what's going on outside." David said. He looked at Michelle. "But I won't let them hurt you." He seemed to forget the rest of them were there.

"So how long has this been going on?" Ethan tried to lighten the mood, but it clearly failed.

"Don't tell mom and dad, okay?" Michelle hissed at him.

"I wasn't planning on it." Ethan held up his hands in defense. Michelle gave him a half smile.

"I think we'll be safe in here." David told them. "I just hope the army can get here in time."

…

**So not as long as I originally intended, but I'm a little stuck on what's going to happen next, and I've literally been working on this all day with only cake, pinterest and the Newsies soundtrack for company, so I thought I'd try to update in a timely manner, although you guys are clambering for word on Nat and Lissa. Hopefully this isn't too much of a cliffhanger! No one important has died, just a lot of guards and rebels. **

**Tell me what you think in your review, and check out the pinterest page (link on my profile!) **

**-shades**


	43. Let Alone You

**The Story: You know it's bad when animals judge you. Maybe I just need judging. I get the feels so bad sometimes I get as emotional as a ninth grader. I seriously want to meet famous people, but I would embarrass myself so bad….**

**Shoutout to my awesome reviewers! (Even if I did get yelled at) **UltimateMaxmericaShipper, delovlies, SportyJpoo, 4Love4Love4, Perksofbeingminho, majestictales, the5SOS-YAfangirl, Smiley face, The Girl With The Rainbow Tattoo, fairy not princess, **and **amber**!**

**This basically picks up right where I left Ben and Nat. Just want to clarify the safe rooms had not been built at this time in Illea history! Also, reminder, the rebel guy's name was Adam. **

…

"I thought you were hiding something."

Nat looked up at Adam, half-terrified. He was smirking, and she noticed his eyes were eerily light green. They were cold and merciless. "She's one of the Selected girls, ain't she? What were you doing with her, huh?"

"I…I saw her run in here." Ben tried to make excuses, but it wasn't very effective.

"Really? Wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that you let two of your men get killed so she could get away?" Adam demanded, before snatching Nat by her arm and hair and jerking her to her feet. He twisted her arms behind her back, restraining her. "You're a coward, Ben!" Adam yelled. "Those men died because you weren't doing your job."

"What is he talking about?" Nat pleaded with Ben. Adam yanked her arms painfully.

"_Shut up_!"

"When you were horse riding with Prince Ethan." Ben said, his voice tortured. "We were supposed to take him and you out. But I couldn't let it happen." He refused to meet her eyes.

Nat gasped. "That was you?"

"I said shut up!" Adam screamed, backhanding her across the face, sending her sprawling on the ground.

"Don't hurt her!" Ben lunged forward, and seized Adam by the throat. Nat tried to get up, to run away, but her ears were ringing violently, and her head spun from the force of the blow.

Still, she heard the ominous sound of a gun cocking, and saw Ben's face go icy. He released his hold on Adam, and stepped back, holding his hands up.

"Attacking your superior, Ben? As I recall, that's not permitted. I ought to shoot you now."

Nat saw her chance, and tried to run, but Adam stopped her, pulling her back up, and holding her by her hair.

"I knew her before she was Selected, okay?" Ben kept his eyes riveted on Nat. "We were dating, and I just didn't want her to get hurt."

"So a girlfriend is a good enough reason to jeopardize two missions?!" Adam cried, jerking her head back by her hair. "She's why you let Prince Ethan get away? Why you set your bomb way off target? Insubordination? Attacking your superior?"

"She's worth it." Ben said darkly, glaring at Adam.

"Look, I admired you for going against the castes. I thought you would be a great recruit. But I was wrong. You gave it all up for a girl. I think our little game ends here."

Nat sucked in a breath, and tried to get Ben to look at her. She didn't want to watch him die. Not like this.

Instead, she felt the cold metal pressed against her skull, and froze. Ben jumped forward.

"One more step, and I'll kill her. No use having her as a liability. Maybe after you receive your punishment, and they don't kill you first, she won't be around to distract you."

"She didn't do anything!" Ben yelled. "Let her go!" He rushed towards them, and Nat felt the pressure of the gun leave her skull. Adam now aimed the gun at Ben.

"I said don't come any closer." Adam growled. "Or I'll shoot you, and have my way with her." Nat noticed his voice was shaking.

"Ben, no." Nat whispered, terrified for her life, but also for his. He was going to die for her. Ben didn't look at her. He suddenly lunged at them, and the gun went off. Stunned by the noise, Nat registered someone was screaming. Adam's grip on her went slack, and the ringing in her ears lessened. It took her a second to realize it was her screaming, and that Adam's gun hadn't gone off. In his hand, Ben was holding a 9mm Beretta, the barrel still smoking. Adam's now lifeless body toppled to the floor of the stable aisle, blood blossoming and staining his chest. For a moment, neither Ben or Nat moved. After a moment, Nat found herself leaning down to check for a pulse on her former captor. Nothing.

"He's dead." She said softly. Ben looked at her, shock written across his face.

"Did he hurt you?" He asked after a second, stepping closer, and brushing his hand over her shoulder.

"I'm fine." Nat hated the quiver in her voice. Ben's eyes riveted on Adam's body, and his gun clattered to the concrete, clattering loudly.

"I killed him…" He whispered, turning away in disgust and clenching his fists. "He was in charge…" His voice trailed off, and he met Nat's eyes, his expression akin to a little lost boy. "I'm such a coward!"

"You saved my life. Three times." Nat reminded him. He barely shrugged, and she reached for his hand. "Ben, sometimes courage is knowing when to take a life, and when to spare one."

"I did it for you." Ben admitted. "I couldn't let him kill you. I couldn't let you be killed either." He looked away, his eyes glassy. Nat squeezed his hand, and before she could stop herself, she moved to hug him. He reached for her, and clung to her as if she was his lifeline. He buried his face in her hair, and she rested her head against her shoulder. She felt safe-even if he was a rebel.

"Why?" She mumbled into his shirt. "Why did you join the rebellion?"

"I don't really know. Adam found out about me racing, and lying about the castes. I didn't really want to join, but I don't know. I guess I didn't want the prince to have you."

"But you couldn't let him be killed?"

"I couldn't let you be killed. I never stopped loving you."

An ominous rumble echoed in the distance. Reluctantly, Ben let go, and looked nervously up.

"What was that?" Nat whispered.

"I don't know." They practically ran to the doors of the stable, and stepped out into the front paddock. A second later, the rumbling intensified to the loud thwacking of helicopters. Two jets screamed overhead, and the palace and palace grounds were flooded with light from searchlights.

"It's the army…" Ben breathed, fear evident on his face. "If they catch me, I'm dead. But if the rest of the rebellion finds out I killed Adam…" He trailed off, staring blankly at the scene before them. Nat realized the gravity of his situation. As a rebel, he was an enemy of the monarchy. Not only had he committed treason against his country, but now he had killed one of the rebel leaders.

"You have to get out of here." Nat realized she was echoing his words from earlier. "Take one of the horses. You can't stay here. In all the chaos, I doubt anyone will notice." Nat could barely believe what she was saying. She was helping a rebel.

Ben stared at her in shock.

"What?"

"You saved my life three times. I'm trying to repay the favor." Nat said. Ben smiled slightly. They quickly saddled one of the horses together, reminding Nat of old times, when they worked as exercise riders together, and when he showed her the world of racing. When they were happy.

When the task was done, they stood on either side of the horse, the same one Nat had ridden on her date, and had hidden in it's stall.

"Where will you go?" Nat broke the silence.

"I'll figure it out soon enough." Ben jerked the straps on the girth tighter.

"Well…thanks. I guess you better go."

"Come with me."

Nat stepped back in surprise. "I—I can't." She said, incredulous.

"Nat, I know how I feel about you, and I'm not afraid. Come with me." He repeated. Nat was silent. She didn't really know what to say. "Do you love him?" Ben asked.

Nat shrugged. It was more than enough to answer the question, but she shook her head anyway.

"Then come with me."

Nat stepped backwards, refusing to meet his eyes. "I'm sorry." She whispered. "I can't." She felt those stupid tears prick at her eyes again. "I'm so sorry, Ben. But I can't. I can't just leave. People would be looking for me everywhere, and we would get caught."

"I guess this is goodbye, then."

"I guess so."

"I don't think I'm going to ever love anyone the way I love you." Ben reached for her hands.

"You…you've changed me forever. I'll never forget you." Nat said, trying not to cry. "I've seen the world, now, Ben. Everyone knows who I am, and I could have a perfectly good chance with Ethan now. All the other girls came here looking for love…but I already had it." Nat confessed. She looked up at Ben. "I think I've always loved you. And I think I always will."

"I would have done everything with you if I could have." Ben whispered, brushing the hair out of her eyes. "Promise me you won't forget me."

Nat laughed softly. "I think that would be slightly difficult."

"Slightly?" Ben smirked at her. "I'm serious. You're surrounded by princes and lords and who knows what else."

"They'll never be you. They'll-" Before Nat could say anything else, Ben swept her back, and kissed her quick and fierce, but still enough to leave her breathless. They had kissed a few times before the Selection, of course, but this meant so much more. He leaned down again, and deepened the kiss. Nat was pretty tall, and even in her heels, she had to stand on her tiptoes. When they came up for air, Ben untangled his arms from around Nat.

"I love you." He said, hooking his foot into the stirrup and swinging onto the horse. "I will see you again."

Not wanting to prolong the goodbye, he rode out quickly. Nat stood where she was and watched him go.

…

**I know, short, but I don't want to start another scene, and I might as well post this now, because you guys are begging for a new chapter and wanted shorter more frequent updates anyway. Thanks so much for reading! Don't forget to review and check out the pinterest page! **

**-shades**


	44. Side By Side

**The Story: cake batter Chapstick is like drugs. I can't stop putting it on. Sadly, it doesn't taste like cake batter, and I've been craving cake batter really badly…**

**I made the executive decision to work on this instead of some homework, so I know what I'm doing this weekend, and it's not updating! (You're welcome, YA) **

**Wishing actual cake batter to my wonderful reviewers: **delovlies, the5SOS-YAfangirl, UltimateMaxmericaShipper, 4Love4Love4, fairy not princess, majestictales, Perksofbeingminho, SportyJpoo, Smiley face, **and my new reveiwer **EllaofFrell19**! **

…

It was nearly dawn. Wesley was alive, but barely. He hadn't woken yet, and his face was deathly pale.

Still, the palace seemed quiet. Helicopters had stormed the skies hours ago, but now all was calm. Lissa had no way of knowing if they were rebels or not. But Wesley needed help, and there was only one thing to do. If she stayed with him, he would probably bleed to death. She was no nurse, and she wasn't helping him by sitting by his side and trying not to cry. She had to go get help. Wesley had fallen in love with her, and she was right behind him.

Lissa kissed Wesley on the cheek. "I'm sorry. I have to do this." She whispered. "I'll be back. I promise." She stood up, wishing she at least a blanket to give him. She was still in her ballgown, soaked from the continuous drizzle, stained with Wesley's blood and muddy and ripped. The rain had stopped—for now—but the woods surrounding the palace were shrouded in mist. She didn't know whether to believe if the king and queen were dead, and she didn't want to try her luck heading back to the walls, where there was sure to be guards stationed, assuming the helicopters weren't the army. Someone should have come to the aid of the royal family, and Lissa just hoped her instincts were right.

…

Nat blearily opened her eyes, squinting at the light filtering through the drawn shades. She blinked several times, her eyelashes sticky with mascara. _I must have dozed off._ She remembered Ben leaving, and staying in the relative safety of the stables until two soldiers had come to sweep the stables for anyone hiding. She had been terrified that they had found about her and Ben, but they were clearly relieved to have found her. She had been taken into the palace and into one of the offices in the west wing, with several of the Selected girls. Once the remaining rebels had been killed or had fled, the king and queen and Prince Andrew and Princess Christine had stayed in the office they had taken refuge in, and the Selected girls had been moved to another office across the hall, and the legislators and other various dignitaries to another. Ethan, Michelle, Wesley, and six of the Selected—Lissa, Sirena, Adele, Katherine, Gracie, and Nicole –- were still unaccounted for. They had been with the captain of the guard, and he had been killed. Last night, Nat had been informed that although their bodies had not been found, neither had they. _Surely they have by now…_Nat thought slowly. She had only been asleep for three hours, and she was exhausted. She was relieved that it was only the other Selected in the small office, since she knew she looked horrible. Her makeup was smudged and raccoon-esqe, her hair a mess, and she was sleep-deprived. Most of the girls were still asleep. She quietly got up, and went to the door, knowing a soldier would be posted outside. She opened it a crack, and peeked out. Sure enough, there were two.

"Hi." She said pathetically, now even more self conscious. "Have the others been found yet?"

One of the guards peered down at her. "The rebellion has been quelled, miss. We are focusing our primary efforts on the hostages who were taken by the rebels. None of the missing principles have been accounted for. We believe that they were in the west wing, but there was an explosion there when we arrived, and none of the guards survived to question. There is a lot of damage in the area, and we have not been able to get into several of the offices due to debris.

"Oh…well, thanks." Nat said, before closing the door. Several of the girls had woken up. "Sorry!" She whispered. But no one seemed mad.

"What did they say?" Tatiana asked.

"I'm not sure. They haven't found anyone important, though. But apparently this rebellion thing is all over."

"What do you think happened to them?" Felicity said quietly.

"They were supposed to leave right after us." Rory added, looking strangely vulnerable.

"I don't know." Nat thought of Nicole, and swallowed. "But I think they're okay."

…

"Guys. Wake up."

Sirena jolted awake, and immediately regretted it. It was still early, but the light intensified her headache. Despite the rebel attack, the masquerade had still taken place, and now she was hung over. The explosion had occurred after they had been in the office for about an hour, and though furniture barricade had kept the rebels from getting in, they were too scared to try to get out.

"What's going on?" Sirena asked, rubbing her eyes, and smearing her makeup even more. She looked around the room. Michelle lifted her head from David's chest, just awakened, still managing to look decent despite the ordeal. Next to Sirena on the leather couch, Adele sat up; brushing her short now messed up curls out of her face. Nicole, Ethan and Katherine were already awake, and Gracie looked terrified.

"Someone's trying to get in." Ethan said, standing by the barricaded door.

A loud bang clarified his statement.

"Is anyone in there?" A muffled yell came from the other side of the door. David stood, his gun in his hand.

"This is the Illean Military. We suggest you—"

Before the man could continue, Michelle interrupted him. "We're in here!" She cried, jumping up. "Princess Michelle, Prince Ethan, and five of the Selected and one guard." She shouted.

"We're saved!" Gracie exclaimed happily.

"Let's get outta here!" Sirena said, shoving aside the chair they used to barricade. The others quickly joined in, and they worked almost frantically until they dismantled the barricade. Ethan flung open the door, revealing the startled faces of several soldiers.

And the devastation wrought on the palace.

"We have the whereabouts on several missing principles" One of them spoke into his radio, listing them off. "We will move them to secure location."

Sirena looked around at the devastation wrought on the palace. Bodies of dead rebels and guards alike still lay in the west wing. The walls of the hall were littered with bullet holes, and parts of the ceiling had come crashing down. Places were grenades had gone off left the walls blackened and broken.

Gracie voiced the question on all their minds. "What happened?"

…

The soldiers led the five Selected girls down to one of the offices at the far end of the hall. The doors were opened, revealing most of the Selected girls sitting around in bedraggled ball gowns with tangled hair and red, make up smudged eyes. Nicole noticed that the girls who had been injured were gone—Taylor, Meagan, Autumn, and Michaela. Lissa wasn't there either. But Nat was.

"_Nicky!_" Nat shrieked as soon as she caught sight of her twin. She jumped up from her seat on the floor and launched herself at Nicole in a fierce hug. "You're here!" She cried"

"I know!" Nicole squeezed her sister tighter, and lost her balance so both of them ended up on the floor in a pile of tulle and giggles. "Where were you?" Nicole demanded.

"Where were you? They brought me here after it was all over and they said you guys had gone missing."

"We got caught in the gunfire, and we had to barricade ourselves in another office after all the guards were killed." Nicole explained. "But where were you after the explosion?"

"Oh…I was in the gardens." Nat stammered. "And then I decided to hide in the stables instead of head inside." She shrugged and smiled a little too widely. "I was so worried about you!" She leaned forward again, and hugged Nicole again. Nicole caught the scent of horse and hay clinging to her sister, but also something else—cologne, and probably belonging to a male.

"I don't know what I would do if something had happened to you." Nat said softly.

"I know. I felt the same way. I just had to trust that you were okay. You're like my other half." Nicole felt comforted to be back with Nat again. Nat had always been the more confident, feisty, and strong one. Still, the smell of boy cologne on her sister miffed her. She was about to ask about it when Sophia entered, clapping her hands to alert them.

"I have an announcement, ladies!" Their supervisor exclaimed, and Nicole couldn't help but smile. She was glad Sophia had survived, even if she was way to chipper at a time like this.

"Is Michaela alright?" Katherine interrupted.

"She will be. Taylor, Autumn, and Meagan will be too." Sophia smoothed her rumpled ball gown. "If the army hadn't of gotten her when they did, though, things could have been a lot worse."

"Any news on Lissa and Prince Wesley?" Gracie piped up.

"No, not yet. They're still missing. But I have some instructions from the queen. The upper levels have been largely unscathed, and have been secured. You'll be taken to your rooms momentarily, and your maids will help you pack."

"Where are we going?" Adele asked, looking somewhat nervous.

"Has the Selection been canceled?" Amber looked absolutely heartbroken. To them, 'pack' usually meant 'go home'.

"No, nothing's been canceled." Sophia reassured them. "But for safety reasons, you'll be going with the royal family to their vacation home on the ocean. We'll be staying there while the palace walls are getting rebuilt, and the palace is repaired, and until tensions die down." There was a flutter of excitement through the room. Sophia had just announced a Selection vacation. "We need to leave this afternoon." Sophia tried to answer the numerous questions thrown at her. "You don't need to pack all of your things, and there isn't time anyway. We have things there, and we'll make sure you have what you need. Your maids will help you." Sophia instructed them. "As soon as the perimeters have been secured, you can go upstairs and get started."

…

"You swear you won't tell them?" Michelle whispered to Ethan as they were taken down the half-destroyed west wing of the palace to one of the offices where apparently the rest of the royal family waited.

"I told you I wouldn't." Ethan repeated. The unnecessary number of soldiers turned guards were silent as they halted in front in one of the offices. David had been taken for briefing and to be assigned to help with the rescue efforts, and the five Selected girls had been taken to another office. The soldier, who appeared to be in charge knocked and without waiting for permission, opened the door.

Ethan didn't really know what to expect upon seeing his family again. After a flurry of hugs for both of them from his mother and Christine, he noticed someone was still missing.

"Have they not found Wesley?" Michelle beat him to the question. While Ethan wasn't overly fond of his little brother, he feared the worst. Queen Francesca put her arm around Michelle.

"They haven't found his body, which is good news. But neither have they found him. And all the Selected girls have been accounted for except Lissa."

King Jackson stepped forward, scowling. He didn't hug either of his children. "Next time, please follow instructions." He said dismissively. "You must understand your positions. Both of you are more important than any of the Selected. You have to put yourselves before them in matters as life threatening as this."

Ethan clenched his fists. "Did you not admonish me to keep them safe when Elvira wanted to help?" He spoke through gritted teeth.

"None of this would have happened if you had just made your escape when you were told."

"I fail to see how." Ethan refused to meet his father's cold eyes.

"Regardless of what you can and can't see, I have some urgent things to discuss with you." King Jackson said, gripping Ethan's shoulder cruelly, and steering him off to the side as Michelle began to tell a slightly altered version of what happened to her mother.

"As a matter of safety, I urge you to cut the Selection down to the Elite." The king said in an undertone.

Ethan startled back.. "The Elite? I couldn't possibly; I've only been out with them once each-"

"Surely you must have some idea, or are you that foolish? Your brother had ten girls picked from the beginning, and it took him awhile to find the one, but he didn't burden us with twenty four."

"If the Selection was burden, then why do we have it?" Ethan demanded.

"It's the way things are done, Ethan. I don't understand why you can't be more like Andrew was-"

"Maybe because I'm not him. And I never will be." Ethan shot back, his voice growing louder. "Why can't you understand that?" He shook his father's hand off his shoulder, and stormed to the opposite corner of the room

_Never going to be good enough. Never going to be Andrew. Never ever going to live up to his expectations. _The thoughts churned in his head, and he squeezed his hands into fists. His father always expected him to be Andrew. And he wasn't.

He felt a hand on his shoulder, and started.

"Don't mind him." Andrew said, standing beside Ethan, his eyes focused on the mist shrouded woods and gardens. It all seemed calm and peaceful, as if none of this nightmare had happened. "He has his reasons." Andrew continued. Ethan didn't respond. For all his father's preferences for his older brother, he had always held that against Andrew.

"Yeah, well the only reason I can think of is he wants me to be you."

"He wants you to be ready."

"For what?" Ethan spat.

"To be king."

"Not likely that's going to happen, unless you plan of dying."

"I don't. But you have to remember Father was the second son too. But his brother was killed and he became king when he never planned on doing so."

Ethan was silent. He didn't want to think that he was in any way similar to his father. He knew the story, of course. His uncle had been killed right after his parent's first anniversary in a plane crash.

"Still it's not his Selection." Andrew continued. "Don't let his command your heart."

"I wasn't planning on it." Ethan growled.

"I'm glad you're safe, little brother." Andrew stepped forward, and gave Ethan an unexpected hug. He stiffened, surprised. His older brother had always to seem to prefer the company of Wesley or Michelle over him (at least before his marriage) and he rarely spoke to Ethan, much less hugged him. Maybe it was because Wesley was still missing, or maybe he was just scared. Ethan awkwardly returned the hug.

"I couldn't quite imagine Wes becoming king just yet—or even the spare." Andrew tried to joke as he stepped away, but the joke fell flat. Ethan tried to think of something nice to say, but one of the soldiers burst in.

"Your highness, we need you to move away from the window, and get down." He ordered.

"What's going on?" King Jackson demanded, not complying.

"Sir, we have an unidentified person moving on the lawn. It appears to be a woman, which is why we haven't taken precautionary measures yet."

Ethan turned to the window. He spotted a small figure approaching the palace. She was wearing a muddied pink dress that was soaked and clinging to her frame, and her ombre dyed blonde curls were a wreck, but he recognized her instantly.

"It's Lissa."

…

**So not the most exciting chapter to write, and I'm sure to read. I just needed to introduce a few things and tie up loose ends. It originally was a lot longer and explained every minute detail, but I cut or didn't write parts because it was pretty boring.**

**Let me know what you thought! Leave a review, and don't forget to check out the Pinterest page (link on my bio). I'll try to get the next update out soon, but school and work have been time consuming, sorry this took so long!**

**-Shades**

****SPOILER ALERT** **

**Several of the girls will be going home next chapter…hehehehe. Give me your thoughts on who it should be! (Here's who's left: Nat, Nicole, Adele, Sirena, Gracie, Katherine, Lissa, Michaela, Amelia, Elvira, Mackenzie, Rory, Erin, Cordelia, Amber, Felicity, Meagan, Taylor, Autumn, Tatiana, Dorianne, Bryn, Hana, Cora)**


	45. Say You Do

**The Story: I'm a horrible person who spends way too much time on Pinterest. But in my defense, until about this week, I had horrible writer's block, and school was being a pain. Sorry this took so long! It's kind of an awkward transition/ clean up chapter. **

**Thanks to my lovely reviewers, some of who thought we were going to the Elite already (HAHAHA NOOOO!): **delovlies, majestictales, UltimateMaxmericaShipper, fairy not princess, 4Love4Love4, the5SOS-YAfangirl, smiley face, **and new reviewer **baaacooon!

…

Lissa half staggered across the gardens. She was so close, but she was exhausted. "Hang on, Wesley." She whispered into the heavy fog that cloaked the palace grounds. She was almost there, but Wesley could be dying at any moment. She heard a shout, and looked up. Several soldiers had left the palace and were hurrying towards her.

"Lady Lissa!" The one who appeared to be in charge exclaimed. "Are you injured?" He eyed the blood on her dress from Wesley's wound. Someone radioed that they had found her. Lissa was so relieved; she felt tears spring into her eyes.

"No, no I'm fine. But-"

"Are you sure? We need to get you inside."

"I'm fine!" Lissa's voice came out harsher than expected, and the soldiers looked at her in surprise. She suddenly felt very lightheaded. "But Wesley's not. He was shot…we were hiding in the woods. He needs help—now!"

Someone was calling for back up on his radio, and whole fleet of soldiers swarmed from the palace.

"I can take you to him." Lissa told them.

"No, I need to take you inside to the designated safe room." The first guard said firmly.

"But what if they can't find him? He's going to die if he doesn't get help soon!" Her voice was rising into hysterics.

"I understand your concern, Lady Lissa. But we need to get you inside. The perimeters are still being secured, and you need to get to safety." The soldier grabbed her arm, and steered her inside. "It's for your own safety."

Lissa tried to break free but she was suddenly overtaken by a bout of dizziness. "Please!" She begged.

"Let us do our job and keep you safe." He told her. "We will find Prince Wesley. I'm sure Prince Ethan is very worried about you anyway." Lissa knew he was telling the truth, and she finally stopped struggling. The ground was spinning and everything was getting brighter and…

The next thing she knew, she was looking up at the sky, on the ground, with a loud ringing in her ears. Immediately, several soldiers were clustered around her. Embarrassed, Lissa tried to apologize, but talking was beyond her for the moment. One of them picked her up, and carried her the rest of the way to the palace. The next sereval minutes passed in a blur. She was taken to the hospital wing…

At some moment, she remembered Sophia talking to her, and then her maids were there, and a nurse was telling her she was going into shock…

She kept asking about Wesley, but no one seemed to hear her. Someone draped a blanket over her shoulders…

The next thing she knew, she was back in her room. Vaguely, she registered it was pouring down rain outside…

Her maids were helping her out of her filthy gown and into a night gown and putting her to bed…

"Wesley?" She murmured, trying to get her eyes open. "I want to see him." Her maids shushed her. Lissa tried to speak, but it required too much effort…_You don't understand! I NEED to see him!__ He loves me! Don't you understand?_

…

It had been a shock to see the ruination of the palace. Whereas the second floor was relatively unscathed , the Main Hall and the first floor was in shambles. Places where the explosions had gone off left walls crumbled. Not only that, but there were fire-blackened walls, blown out windows, bullet ridden walls, even bloodstains.

So they were leaving. Nicole hadn't been given much information, only that it was a vacation home of the royal family. Nicole sighed and looked around her room, breathing in the now-familiar scent of her rose scented perfume. She tried to take comfort in the familiar surroundings, but it just seemed to peaceful, to safe. But the nightmare was over. And yet, she hadn't been told about what had happened to the hostages, or anything, really. It frustrated her to no end how sheltered they kept the Selected.

She ran her hands through her still damp hair, and let her shoulders slump in exhaustion. Packing was taking forever. After only a few hours of uneasy sleep in the second office, and a quick doze in the designated safe room with the rest of the Selected, she was on the verge of dropping where she stood. They had been released to go to their rooms, and Nicole had found it untouched, and her maids unharmed. She had taken a long bath, in an attempt to wash the horrors of the attack away. Her ball gown had been practically ruined, and couldn't be salvaged.

Luckily, evening gowns weren't required for travel. Her maids had given her one of the few more casual outfits she had, and when she had put it on, it brought unexpected comfort. She was starting to feel more like herself, in the white button down tucked into the high waisted peach skirt. It wasn't sweatpants, but it wasn't hose and strapless bras, either, and it was a nice change. Besides, Nicole had always been fond of skirts.

But they still had to pack, which was taking a lot longer than expected. And all she wanted to do was lay on the floor and sleep. Nicole sat down on the overstuffed ottoman in the massive closet, trying to decide between a pair of shoes to bring. A familiar ache greeted her calf muscles. It had been too long since she had time to dance, and her body was feeling the effects. She leaned back, and shut her eyes.

A knock at the door startled her awake several minutes later. She sat up in surprise, listening as one of the maids went to answer it.

"Prince Ethan! We weren't expecting you!" She murmured in surprise. Nicole heard his awkwardly clear his throat.

"Is Lady Nicole available? I must speak with her." He asked. Nicole jumped to her feet, with a fleeting thought that she was going to be eliminated. She wished that she had made her maids do something to her hair. It was still damp, and as it had dried, it had curled wildly. She wasn't wearing any makeup, either, and she felt underdressed now. Heck, she wasn't even wearing shoes. Embarrassed, she slipped out of the dressing room. Ethan's eyes snapped to her, and she was aware of her maids slipping quietly back into the closet.

"Hi." She offered a hesitant smile. Ethan smiled back, shoving his hands into his pockets. He had changed too, she noticed, swapping his dark blue masquerade suit for a pair of tan chinos and a white shirt under a gray sweater. Neither of them said anything for a moment. Finally, Ethan cleared his throat.

"Do you want to go home?"

Nicole's heart froze, surprising her. She blinked. "What?"

"Do you want to go home?" A blush was rising in his neck now.

"Are you sending me home?" Nicole challenged.

"No!" Ethan looked slightly alarmed. "No, just…if you want to, you can…if you're scared or you just don't want to be here anymore…I don't know. If someone doesn't want to be here, I'm not going to keep them."

"Oh…has anyone said yes?"

"Well, Dorianne asked to go home. She was really shaken up, I think. The attack really scared her. But I realized that some of the others might be in the same position. Cora, Tatiana, Bryn, Meagan, and Hana all wanted to."

"Oh." Nicole said dumbly.

"So, do you?"

_Do I? _Nicole turned to the window. Did she really want to be here? _I only signed up to change my caste. I could really have a shot at becoming a professional dancer if I left now. _She was hesitant to say yes. Something was holding her back. And for one of the first times in her life, it wasn't just Nat.

"…No. No, I'll stay." She said softly, turning back around. Ethan smiled, and she thought she caught a hint of relief in it.

"Well…good. I didn't want everyone leaving, and leaving me stuck with Mackenzie or someone."

Nicole laughed softly. "Actually, could you do me a favor?"

"Sure."

"Don't ask Nat."

"Why not?"

"I'm worried she might take you up on it. And I sorta need her to stay here."

"Why?"

"It's a twin thing. You probably wouldn't understand. Will you do that for me?"

"Yeah, sure. I don't think I'm entirely sure I'm ready for her to leave anyway."

Nicole smiled, but couldn't help feeling slightly jealous. "Thanks."

Ethan nodded awkwardly, and shrugged. "Well…I guess I'll leave you to your packing…"

…

Cursing himself, Ethan showed himself out, resisting the urge to slam Nicole's door. _You're so stupid! _He mentally berated himself. Every time he was around Nicole, he became even more of a tongue tied idiot. She unnerved him, leaving him stone silent and awkward. But yet, he couldn't help feeling attracted to her. Did he love her? Not right now. But she was one of the girls he was scared of giving the opportunity to leave. There were some girls he liked more than others, and some he thought he might even grow to love. But he wasn't quite ready to go to the Elite.

So far, six of the slightly more high strung girls—Bryn, Meagan, Hana, Dorianne, Tatiana, and Cora- had accepted his request, but he had a feeling there wouldn't be many more. Mackenzie and Cordelia, certainly not. They would kill to be queen, and almost dying themselves wasn't going to stop them. Elvira, Sirena, Rory, and Erin were too tough and Amber and Gracie were too crazy about him to let this get to him. He had yet to speak with them, though.

Adele has actually laughed and told him "You're going to have to do a lot worse to get rid of me." Ethan smirked as he walked down the second floor's guest corridor. He really liked her. Autumn, despite suffering injuries, had quietly declined his request. Felicity had been worried about disappointing him, but she had decided to stay. He was unsure about Taylor, Amelia, Katherine, and Michaela, though. Michaela was still in the hospital wing, recovering from a wound sustained after part of a wall had collapsed her during the first explosion. She was weak, but was expected to recover.

Ethan passed Lissa's room, but kept going. After showing up on the lawn, she had slipped into shock, and was recovering in her room. Even if he hadn't been specifically forbidden to speak with her, she was probably sleeping. Ethan yawned. Sleep would be nice right now. He hadn't slept more than a few hours in the second office. He didn't know how Lissa would respond either. She seemed to not like him very much. Maybe she would leave, too. He liked her well enough, but he wasn't in love with her. She was closer to Wesley's age, anyway. He had apparently saved her during the attack, but had sustained a gunshot wound. He was in surgery currently, and his condition was still uncertain.

The next door was Katherine. As he approached, he became aware of music coming from the interior. Piano music. He knocked lightly, but there was no answer, and the music continued. He waited, shuffling his feet slightly nervously. Katherine had a more delicate nature about her, yet she intrigued him, and he liked talking to her. He wasn't quite ready to say goodbye to her either. He knocked again, eliciting a similar response. Finally, before someone caught him loitering in the hallway awkwardly, he opened the door and stepped inside.

In the far corner of her room, next to a large bay window with rain continually pouring down the pane, Katherine sat a pristine black grand piano, parallel to the window. He watched her, her fingers pouring over the keys of the piano, filling the room with a haunting melody. There was no music in front of her, her eyes rested on the keys. Her dark brown hair was pulled back in a braid, and she was wearing a knee length pleated skirt of robin's egg blue, and a matching button down shirt waist, along with low nude colored pumps. She was wearing only the barest hints of makeup, and it was probably the most underdressed he had seen her, but she still looked lovely. Even though she was regarded as one of the plainer girls of the competition, Ethan didn't notice at that moment. He saw something else.

She was crying. Tears traced little shimmery patterns down her cheeks, and her eyes were red and glassy. Ethan wanted to comfort her, but he didn't know how. He took a step closer.

Suddenly, Katherine glanced up, saw him standing there, and the music came to abrupt halt. She jumped up so fast with a startled little gasp that the piano bench fell backwards. She curtsied sloppily. "Your Highness!" She stammered, though that protocol had been dispensed with long ago. "I didn't realize you were there." A red flush stained her cheeks. She attempted to wipe her eyes subtly, but just ended up smearing her mascara. Not knowing what to say, Ethan dug in the pocket of his jacket, and handed her a handkerchief.

Katherine took it gratefully, and wiped at her cheeks. "Sorry." She said, her voice hushed.

"You play beautifully." Ethan remarked.

Katherine shrugged. "It's just something I wrote a long time ago…"

"You wrote that?"

"Pretty obvious, huh?" Katherine gave a watery laugh.

"No. I don't know anything about music, but that was some pretty cool stuff."

Katherine smiled slightly. "Thanks. I probably should be packing, but I kinda needed to…clear my head, I guess." She bit her lip, and focused hard at the window. Ethan watched her eyes fill up with tears again, and noticed she was gripping the handkerchief like a lifeline. "Sorry…" She said again, her voice squeaking out. "I've just…I've never been so scared before!" She wrapped her arms around herself, and gave a shuddering sob. "It was awful. I just kept thinking about my sister, and what her last moments were like, and it just kept going on and on and on-" Katherine took a deep breath, and tried to regain her composure. "I'm sorry. I tried to be strong. I really did."

Ethan wasn't sure if she was specifically talking to him anymore, or just talking. As her words turned to sobs, Ethan stepped forward and they somehow ended up in an embrace. She buried her face in his chest, her shoulders shaking slightly as she hooked her arms around his neck. Ethan laid his cheek on the top of her head and closed his eyes. The nightmare of the attack came roaring back. How helpless he'd felt, being responsible for all these girls. How vulnerable he was.

For a while, they just stood there, seeking comfort in each other's arms. Finally, Ethan spoke, praying her answer wouldn't be yes.

"Look, if you want to go home, I'm not going to keep you here."

Katherine looked up sharply. She swallowed hard. "Do you want me to go?"

"Not really." Ethan admitted.

Katherine's lip twitched into a smile. "Then I'd like to stay, if you don't mind."

Ethan grinned, and shook his head. "Can't say I do…"

There was an inevitable knock at the door, and one of the soldiers entered a second later.

"Your Highness? Sorry to interrupt, but your mother requests your presence. Prince Wesley is out of surgery. You can see him now."

…

**Okay, it was supposed to be more dramatic than that, but I suck and this is what I get for using Pinterest instead of writing…**

**Anyway, sorry to the creators whose characters I sent home. It was a hard choice, but it had to happen sometime. **

**I would love to hear from you guys! It totally makes writing easier. Also, if you're obsessed with Pinterest like me, feel free to make a board for your character (but tell me so I know about it!) it makes writing so much easier and much more fun! Several people recently followed me, but I don't know who you are username wise, so if you did, and were anonymous about it, let me know it a review or something!**

**Also…IT'S LEE PACE'S BIRTHDAY! **

**(yeah, I know. No one cares)**

**-Shades!**


	46. To Say Goodbye

**Hey guys. This is a pretty dramatic turn to the story, and I'm jumping right into it. **

****Today being April Fool's Day has no coincidence to this chapter!*****

**Thanks to all my reviewers, I'll give you a shout out next chapter, but I need to quickly post this or I won't get to post it for a day. It's short, but I didn't want to clutter it up with another event, so I'll post that in the next chapter, and it's already written. By the way, **delovlies **wrote it the last bit, from Adele's POV. **

**Anyway, I feel the need to apologize. Here we go, picks up right at the end of last chapter. **

…

"_Your Highness? Sorry to interrupt, but your mother requests your presence. Prince Wesley is out of surgery." _

Ethan followed the orderly into the hall, waving goodbye to Katherine. The orderly was strangely silent, as if something was wrong. Maybe still frightened from the stress of the attack.

"Sir, you need to prepare yourself." She said.

Caught off guard, Ethan didn't hear her right . "I'm sorry?"

"It may be a shock…" The orderly let her words trail off, and Ethan pushed past her, hurrying down the second floor's main hall to the stairs. Something was terribly, terribly wrong. He jogged down the steps, and darted across the Main Hall, still in shambles, to the hospital bay. He went to the specialized wing for members of the royal family, and threw open the doors to the private waiting area.

Almost immediately, he was enveloped in a hug from his mother. She was crying.

"Mom? What is it? What's wrong?"

Growing up, it was rare to experience much affection from any of his family members past toddler age. They were always on display, a cold, cruel, made up world that seemed happy and perfect. Ethan caught sight of Michelle, her eyes red as she clung to their father. He looked absolutely lost, staring dimly at nothing. Christine sat by herself, sobbing loudly, and Andrew was nowhere to be seen. King Jackson stepped aside from Michelle and clapped a hand over Ethan's shoulder.

"Dad? What happened?" Ethan whispered, but he already knew.

"My son." The king said. Ethan knew he didn't mean him, or Andrew. His mother squeezed his hand.

"Wesley…he…" She sighed, tears spilling down her cheeks. A cold grip of fear settled on Ethan's shoulders.

"Is he okay?"

King Jackson shook his head, unable to say anything. Michelle stood up, and took Ethan's other hand, her fingers icy. He couldn't remember his family ever being so affectionate before.

"There were complications during the surgery. Maybe…maybe if we could have found him sooner…maybe…Ethan, Wesley didn't make it."

There was only hollow silence. Ethan could only hear the blood rushing to his ears. For a moment, he didn't believe it. He must be dreaming. It couldn't be true.

Not Wesley. Not his funny, goofy, selfish, mischievous scoundrel of a little brother. Not the brother he never took the time to be a big brother to, the one he was mean to every chance he got, the one who always forgave him, and played jokes. The one who everyone loved.

He was dead. And he wasn't coming back.

…

Andrew shut the door behind him with a satisfying _slam_, feeling some of his anger disband immediately. The familiar surroundings of his and Christine's room brought little comfort as a riot of emotions stirred within.

Wesley was dead. There was no way around it. Christine was still downstairs, trying to comfort his mom._Maybe a job I should be doing,_Andrew thought. But he also knew he wasn't any good for that kind of thing. He was, first and foremost, angry. But behind the grief lurked an overwhelming grief. One that threatened to crush him if he let it. You never knew how much you cared for someone until you lost them.

Christine had tried her best to comfort him, but he'd brushed her off. Wesley wasn't even her brother, and she was still on the verge of tears. He'd left quickly, wanting only to be alone.

Restless, he flopped on the bed. Something crinkled beneath him and he yanked out a magazine. It was Christine's, and all about Ethan's Selection. It was a gossipy tabloid, full of fake stories about the girls. He scanned it briefly, needing a distraction. Cordelia was terrible to work with on movie sets, Taylor was addicted to cocaine and Adele had numerous affairs with old co-stars. He shook his head in disgust and got up. He doubted any of the stories were remotely true. The actor who claimed he'd slept with Adele probably didn't even exist.

He found himself wandering the halls, and before he knew it he was in the hall that housed the Selected girls. He kept going, unconcerned. He was, after all, the crown prince. He heard one of the door behind him open and turned around. It was Adele, and Andrew remembered the day he, Wesley and Ethan had sat around rating the girls. She'd ranked pretty high, Andrew remembered. She saw him and smiled nervously.  
"Oh…hi, Prince Andrew." She said lamely. "Look, I know I'm not supposed to be out of my room, but I wanted to talk to Felicity." She planted her hands on her hips, almost daring him to challenge her.

Andrew shrugged. "I don't mind. It's been a hellish day for all of us. I'm not worried about it." He stepped closer to her. They'd never actually talked before.

"Good." She smirked. "I'm not sure I've ever seen you out of a suit before."

He glanced down at his khaki pants and t-shirt. "Before?"  
"Well, on the Report and stuff. Everyone watches it." She brushed a lock of hair behind her ears.

"Crown prince duties, you know." He blurted out. He didn't know why he added the "crown" since he almost never did. Maybe it was to remind her that he, not Ethan, would inherit the throne. Therefore, he was more powerful, more influential, than his brother. "Your maids let you out?" he asked, nodding towards the door.

"I dismissed them awhile ago. I wanted to be by myself."  
"Me too." He saw her raise one eyebrow for a second.

She took a step forward. "It was nice talking t-" he grabbed her arm and stopped her. Andrew didn't want to think about Wesley, or the Rebels, or Christine or anything. He needed to get away from it all. And he needed to get away from it right now.  
Adele smiled, and he wondered briefly if the tabloid article wasn't so fake after all. "Your highness?" she asked, nearly purring. Before either of them could register what had happened, he was kissing her.

"Do you know what people say about you?" he breathed.

"Yes." She whispered, smirking.

"If we behave like this, then it will be true." His arm encircled her waist and he pulled her closer.  
"Then let it be true."

…

Slowly, Lissa opened her eyes.

"Wesley?" She murmured. Immediately, her maids were there.

"Lady Lissa, how are you feeling?"

Lissa blinked away the last of the fog. "I'm fine." She sat up quickly. "I need to see Wesley."

Her maids exchanged a brief glance.

"Why don't you go back to sleep? You've been through a lot."

Lissa frowned. "When can I see Wesley?" Something was up. They were silent. "Why won't you let me see him?" She cried. Something was terribly, terribly wrong.

"Lady Lissa, please, I really insist that you get your rest."

"No!" Lissa felt tears spill down her cheeks. "Something happened, didn't it?" She began to sob. _Wesley…something happened. I was too late. I failed. He saved me, and I let him down. _As if in a dream, she heard one of her maids telling her something.

"Yes. Miss, I'm so sorry. Perhaps if he could have come in earlier…or if…."

"Just tell me what happened!" Lissa demanded, although it came out as a sob.

The maid hesitated. "Prince Wesley didn't make it through surgery."

Lissa's whole world shattered.

_They say the second before you die, your life flashes before your eyes. I hope so much that it's true, that you get a photo album of every moment, so you know you were here, that you were loved, that you existed. You must need that second to prepare. To Wesley, death was never on the radar. Never. He was always so alive. Even when he was shot, he kept saying he was fine. So that one second between life and death, was all the time he got. To say goodbye. _ She didn't know how to breathe properly now that Wesley was gone. She wanted to kick and scream, and take it back. Give anything for this awful emptiness to go away. _And more than anything, I don't want to say goodbye._

…

**Sorry. So, so, so sorry. **


	47. AN

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**.APRIL FOOLS!  
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAAHAHAHAAHAAHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAAAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAAHAAHAHHAHA!**

**Yeah. None of that actually happened. Stay tuned for more!**

**Thanks to my awesome twin **delovlies **for whipping up this evil plot. Just so you know, I wrote this instead of studying for a math test. I love you guys that much.**

**If anyone knows the two very heavy handed references used, let me know and I can fangirl with you! **

**Also, technically this is illegal to have just an author's note. I'll take it down in a few days **


	48. Don't Say I Didn't Try

**The Story: When you suddenly become extremely obsessed with a new item to fangirl over with. While Middle Earth will always be in my heart, and I will never recover from Fili and Kili…Poldark is my life now. If any of my readers live in England, watch it. If you don't (like me) it's on YouTube!**

**I promise this is a real chapter! Forget everything that happened. Wes is still alive, Andrew and Adele aren't having an affair, none of that! I had my laugh on that! It picks up right when the last real chapter ended. **

**Special thanks to my reviewers! **Fairy not princess, Smiley face (**x2)**, UltimateMaxmericaShipper (**x3)**, majestictales (**x2)**, the5SOS-YAfangirl, baaacooon, delovlies, Demigod-Gahllager-Selected, SportyJpoo, EllaofFrell19, Penguinlover0813, **and especially new reviewer **pottergirl18**!**

…

Ethan followed one of the exhausted orderlies down the sterile corridor of the hospital wing on the first floor, surprised at how anxious he felt to see Wesley. His little brother had been in surgery since early this morning, when Lissa had come with the news. It had been nearly five hours, since it was about noon. The orderly stopped outside a stark white door. The only light came from the window at the far end of the hall, the sun muted by rain.

"This is his room." The orderly said in a clipped tone. Ethan gave her a nod of thanks, and opened the door. His mother was in the room, holding Wesley's hand. His brother looked terrible. His face was pale, and his closed eyes seemed sunken in his sockets. He lay limply against the pillows, the pale color of the sheets and hospital gown matching his skin tone. The veins in his hand, draped over the sheets, stuck out sharply. His mouth was open slightly, and he appeared to be asleep. He looked younger than his newly achieved sixteen.

Ethan couldn't help but notice a similar change in his mother. She looked as if she had suddenly aged ten years over night. There were bags under her eyes from lack of sleep, bringing out the lines on her face. Her russet hair suddenly wasn't so perfect anymore, and he noticed a few strands of gray. The youthfulness he had noted about her during the masquerade was gone, and in place was a mother terrified for the loss of her youngest child, and a queen, terrified for the loss of her kingdom.

Ethan was surprised by the rush of affection for his little brother. Wesley's eyes fluttered open, still twinkling with a mischievous glint. One side of his mouth twitched into a small smile.

"Hey." He said softly, his voice groggy. "Don' be jealous of m' scar…I hear girls like that kind a' thing." He slurred, before his eyes closed again. Ethan smiled. It looked like Wes was going to be okay. He glanced at his mother, relived to see her smiling.

"He's on a lot of pain medication, and it really sedates him." She explained.

"Is he going to be okay?"

"He should. He'll be transferred to a safer place, a hospital in Bonita to recover. If Lissa hadn't made it her in time, he wouldn't be."

"I guess he owes her his life."

"I do." Wesley piped up, opening his eyes again. "Can I see her?"

"Later, Wes." Queen Francesca said gently. But Ethan didn't miss a hard glint in her eyes.

"You're not going t' send 'er home, are you?" Wesley asked him.

"If she doesn't want to be here, I won't force her. I'm asking all the girls to leave if they want to."

"Don't ask her."

"Why not?"

"If she's good enough to take a bullet for, she's good enough to stay."

The door opened, and as the rest of the family swarmed into the small room, Ethan went off to the side of the room.

_That was strange. _He knew the two had become friends planning their birthday together, and being the same age, but still. Wesley hadn't said that she was good enough for him, or to be a princess, just good enough to stay. Coupled with the fact that she had been with him during the attack, and had risked her life to get him help…Lissa was falling for his brother.

Ethan gritted his teeth. For once in his life, he didn't want to be overlooked. To be favored over his brothers by his father, to have a girl like him instead of his brothers, to be the prince everyone forgot about…

Bitterly, he watched the way Christine and Michelle fawned over Wesley, and his mother brushed his hair back lovingly. His father sat down where he had been, taking Wesley's hand. Wesley's eyes opened, and smiled. As they spoke, Ethan realized he personally had never experienced such a level of tenderness from his father. _If I was lying there, would he treat me like he treats Wesley? If it was Andrew, he would…_

He turned aside, and slipped quietly from the room.

…

The palace was ruined. Ethan stood in the middle of the Main Hall, surveying the destruction around him, trying to get his mind off other things. He remembered being informed they were leaving, to Trentworth, the seaside estate abut eight hours south of Angeles, by car. It would take less by plane, but his father had grounded all aircraft in Illea. The Selected girls would be leaving in a few hours. He would probably follow tomorrow with Christine, Michelle, and his mother. Andrew would probably stay here, with their father, and oversee the reconstruction of the palace, and help reassure the country.

Ethan scowled. It seemed like that was always happening to him. He heard quiet footsteps on the staircase, and turned around, surprised to see Taylor. She looked pretty surprised to see him, too. He hadn't yet made it to her room to ask her if she wanted to leave, but she carried a black valise. She wore a white dress, covered with delicate navy blue lace, and black low pumps. Her dark hair was pinned up.

"Oh. I didn't know you would be here." She stuttered. She had always been shy and rather closed off, even during their single date. "I heard you were letting the girls who wanted to go. I didn't know if I had to ask you, or whatever. But I'd like to go, if that's okay with you."

"Did it scare you that much? I'm sorry. I shouldn't have let it happen."

"Why do you always take everything on your shoulders?" Taylor butted in, speaking louder than Ethan had ever heard her. "That's one man against an army. With two men above him who should have had a role in it too."

"Who?"

"Your father and Prince Andrew."

"Oh."

"I know what you did to help Sirena. And Nat, on your guy's date. And during the attack, how you tried to save them. We may be women, but we can help ourselves sometimes."

"How'd you know about all that?"

"Perks of being quiet. You overhear a lot. And maids aren't exactly silent as mice."

"So if you're not scared, why do you want to go?" Ethan asked, a sinking feeling in his stomach. Taylor shrugged.

"I don't really know. I guess I never really wanted this anyway. I just had to figure it out for myself. Don't get me wrong, you're a great guy, but I just can't see a future with you. But it's been…nice. I'll never forget it." She half-smiled at him. "I don't want to waste your time either."

"Well, I'm not going to keep you here if you don't want to stay. You're a terrific girl, Taylor. I'm glad to have met you." He leaned down, and kissed her cheek. She smiled softly.

"And thanks. Now I don't have to spend my life being a pretty face on some Two's arm. I'm a Three now. And I owe it all to you." She curtsied formally. "If ever need arises, I think you'll make a great king."

And then she was gone. Ethan watched her go, just out the front doors, where a car was waiting to take the girls back to their provinces. Cora, Meagan, Hana, Dorianne, Tatiana, Bryn, and now Taylor.

Ethan shoved his hands into his pockets, and started up the stairs to the third floor, stricken with a terrible thought. His mother and Christine had always told him that there was always someone in the Selection, meant for him. But what if there wasn't?

…

Lissa paced anxiously around the waiting room. Her bags were packed, her maids were helping others besides her, she was fine, and Wesley was out of surgery. She had been summoned over an hour ago, and was still waiting to go inside.

She sank exhaustedly into the chair by the window, watching the rain streak down the glass. She had slept for a few hours after fainting, but every time she closed her eyes, she would fall asleep. She had resorted to pacing.

They would be off soon, to Trentworth, the vacation home, and Wesley would be taken to a hospital in Bonita because the palace still wasn't the safest place to be, according to her maids. She just _had _to see him before then.

The door opened, and a nurse appeared. Lissa jumped to her feet.

"Excuse me? Can I see Wesley now? I've-"

"Who are you?" The nurse snapped. Lissa looked down at her outfit, a knee length light yellow dress and flats, realizing no one was used to seeing the Selected girls dresses as casually as they were for travel.

"Lissa Dove, ma'am."

"_Lady _Lissa? I beg your pardon. I'm so sorry. Let me ask the Queen." She disappeared back inside.

A moment later, she returned, Queen Francesca behind her, and disappeared down the corridor. The Queen wore a dark brown skirt, a cream knit blouse, and heels. She gave Lissa a quick once-over, a frown on her face.

Lissa curtsied. "Your Highness, my maids informed me the Wesley wanted to see me, like an hour ago."

"I think it would be best if you returned to your room. _Prince _Wesley is resting. He's been through a lot." Queen Francesca said. Lissa blushed slightly at her mistake of addressing him as so.

"But I-"

"Did you not hear me?"

"I need to see him!" Lissa's voice squeaked up an octave.

"May I remind you that you are here for one reason and one reason only? As a potential wife for Ethan. Not Wesley. This little…flirtation has gone on quite long enough. Don't give your heart to someone else when you're not here for him."

"We're just friends…" Lissa protested.

"But you're not, are you?" Queen Francesca said sharply. Lissa was quiet. "I thought as much. Please return to your room. You all will be departing to Trentworth soon." The Queen left, leaving Lissa alone in the waiting room, tears pooling in her eyes.

She crept up to the door, pressing her ear to it.

"When can I see Lissa?" She heard Wesley say.

"She will not come. I can have her ordered, if you would like." The Queen said. Wesley was quiet.

"No…that's okay. I guess things were different than I thought. Do you think I could have a chance with her, Mom?" Lissa smiled slightly at his sleepy, sedated voice.

"That would depend on her, Wes."

"So she really won't come?"

"I'm afraid not."

Lissa stood, and fled the waiting room, crying. She had heard enough.

…

Adele checked her hair in the mirror one last time, and put on a brave smile. Lipstick, curls, and a mint pleated skirt and cream blouse, and T-strap heels—she was fine. She had to be fine. Her maids had left about fifteen minutes ago with the last of her suitcases, but now it was time to leave. They were going to Trentworth, and Adele couldn't be happier to leave the devastation wrought on the palace. Even though the second and third floors hadn't been touched, it was just the principle of being here. She stepped out into the hall, still a flurry of activity. She stared straight ahead as she made her way through the ruined Main Hall. The count of Selected was down to seventeen, now. They had left an hour ago.

Adele walked down the steps of the entrance of the palace, and into the waiting car, the same kind that had brought them here almost a month ago. She was thankful that she and Felicity were in the same car, along with Lissa and Amber. She didn't question Lissa's tear streaked face and silence. The younger girl had been through a lot.

Amber chattered happily, seemingly unfazed, since she was one of the first girls to be taken to the West Wing, with the royals and Gracie. Adele shivered, remembering the run to safety with Nicole. The girls, who had been the last to be found, like Bryn and Tatiana, had been so scared, they had gone home.

Felicity squeezed Adele's hand as they pulled out of the long driveway. It was terrifying to see the walls, lying in heaps of rubble. Did people really hate the monarchy and the Selection that much?

It was a dreary day, adding another element of uncertainty to Adele. Last night's rain hadn't moved off, and it began to pour as they drove. The sound of rain on the windows, and the steady movement of the car soon lulled Amber and Felicity asleep. Adele watched the province of Angeles roll by. There was hardly anyone out, and a heavy military presence in the towns.

Lissa sniffed, and Adele looked glanced up. Lissa quickly wiped her eyes.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Lissa said quickly, but Adele knew she was lying.

"No, seriously." She hadn't spent much time with Lissa before, but she seemed terribly distraught.

"It's a long story…" Lissa sounded miserable.

"It's a long ride."

Lissa sighed. "Have you ever fallen in love before? So much so that your heart takes over from your head, and you feel so excited and so incredibly nervous yet so incredibly _happy _around him?"

Adele smoothed back her hair. "No…I guess I haven't. I mean, I played that role a few times." She hadn't realized how serious the Selection was getting. She didn't know how exactly she felt about Ethan. But this girl was apparently in love with him.

"And now they won't even let me see him." Lissa muttered, apparently to herself.

"I thought Ethan came and talked to all of us."

Lissa looked up sharply. Adele suddenly realized it wasn't Ethan she was in love with.

"Oh. It's not Ethan you're talking about."

Lissa looked down at her lap. "No…" She whispered. "It's not."

Adele glanced at Amber and Felicity to take sure they were still asleep. "It's treason, to cheat on the prince during the Selecting." She whispered.

"Surely it's not a crime to fall in love."

"Well, did you do… anything else?" Adele asked, reminding herself that Lissa was only newly sixteen. Lissa blushed.

"No. He almost kissed me. Twice."

"Don't tell me who. Don't tell anyone. It could be used against you. And do me a favor. Don't let him kiss you. I don't want to see you get hurt."

…

**Remaining Selected (17):**

Nat Roslyn

Nicole Roslyn

Katherine Page

Sirena Mastrano

Lissa Dove

Adele Warren

Gracie Luna

Elvira Entrinken

Amelia Wilde

Michaela Williams

Mackenzie Parker

Amber Autumns

Rory Bande

Erin Rusk

Felicity Weaver

Autumn Hunter

Cordelia Whitney

**So the Selection FINALLY goes seaside! Don't forget to review, and check out the Pinterest page and pin!  
Also, I have a huge favor to the creators. I asked this earlier, but it might have changed. So here's a question: How does your character(s) feel about Ethan, the Selection, the rebel attack, and the future now? Thanks so much!**

**-Shades**


	49. By the Sea

**The Story: Stop yelling at me guys! *hides under laptop* Okay, I don't want to be harsh, but…ultimately, this is my story. Things that happen aren't always going to be liked. I really appreciate reviews and stuff, but I do not like being yelled at, being cursed at, being told what to do in my story, or anything else similar. So please, stop! It doesn't make writing fun or easy. **

**Sorry this took so long, I've been really busy, and that won't change much for a while…Anyway, this is sort of a short, stupid cute filler chapter….**

…

Nat slowly registered that the car was slowing down. Wearily, she forced her eyes open, and lifted her head. Even being in the Selection couldn't make sleeping in a car comfortable. She groaned, and un-coiled her legs, dimly remembering she was wearing pants.

"Are we here?" She heard Nicole ask sleepily. Nat rubbed at her eyes. After staying up most of the night for the masquerade and then the attack, they had to pack up and get in the car to drive to Trentworth. The cars hadn't been very comfortable, and sleep had been fleeting.

"We're stopping?" Gracie asked as she woke up.

"No, duh." A very crabby Mackenzie snapped. Unfortunately, they had been assigned to roughly the same groups as they had been in when they arrived. And sleep-deprived Mackenzie was even worse than regular Mackenzie.

"I think we're here." Nat said, trying to stretch out her stiff legs.

The girls peered out the windows, greeted with the warm glow of lights on a driveway. The car curled around the drive's center, a bubbling fountain, and rolled to a stop. A moment later, the doors were opened, and the four were helped out.

In her exhausted state, Nat only wanted to be taken to her room, and lay down. She vaguely registered the fresh salty breeze, chasing away the nightmare of the previous day and the crash of waves somewhere close by.

A footman escorted them up the short flight of steps leading from the driveway to the terrace preceding Trentworth. It was magnificent. Although significantly smaller than the palace, the rich dark stucco was warmer than the cool white exterior of the palace. Golden light spilled forth from the large, arched windows, and a terrace surrounded the entire first floor, so that one could just walk around it. Nicole elbowed her, and pointed up, and Nat saw a similar thing on the balcony of the second floor. There was somewhat of a third floor, but only on the far sides, probably just a suite of rooms on both sides.

They entered the house, if it could be called such, and two maids took them immediately to the second floor. The lights were dimmed in the living areas, but it was much cozier and home-y than the palace.

"Your things should already be in your rooms." One of the maids said. "I'm sure you are all tired, but if we can be of service in any way, let us know. You'll have to share maids for a while until more can be spared from Angeles Palace." She took them up the sweeping staircase, similar to the one at the palace, but there was no long Main Hall here. There was a sort of grand loft on the second floor, so you could still see one of the living areas on the first floor.

The second floor was mostly doors to bedrooms. A small, central sitting area was left of the stairs. Another stair went up to the third floor.

"Fortunately, Trentworth was remodeled with the Selection in mind." The maid told them. "There are twenty bedrooms on this floor, and two suites on the third floor, for the king and queen and the crown prince and princess. The rest of you, and Prince Ethan and Princess Michelle and Prince Wesley—when he recovers—will stay here."

She pointed out their rooms. Gracie's and Mackenzie's were ironically next to each other overlooking the front of the estate, and Nat's and Nicole's faced the rear, and were also next to each other.

Overtaken with a bout of weariness, Nat hastily said her goodnights, and slipped into her room. For once, no maids greeted her. It was an unexpected relief. Compared to her room at the palace, it was tiny, but she liked it. The French doors to the balcony were open, and the delicate curtains blew in the ocean breezes. The bed was made up with snowy white linens. She was too tired to look around much, and found a nightgown laid out for her. She kicked off her traveling outfit and took a quick shower in the small bathroom, and got ready for bed. In a blur, she turned out the light, and crawled into the bed, and fell asleep with the sigh and murmur of the waves on the shores of Trentworth.

…

"Wake up!"

Nicole woke up with a start, jolted sideways on her bed. "What is it? What happened?" She cried, sitting up, fearing the rebels had found them or worse. But it was only Nat, Gracie, and Sirena; Nat all but jumping on her bed.

"It's a gorgeous day, none of the royals or Sophia is here, and we're at the beach!" Nat exclaimed, as Gracie threw open the French doors leading to the wrap-around balcony. Bright sunshine filtered in, bringing a fresh salty breeze, and the sound of the ocean. Suddenly, Nicole wasn't so tired anymore. She swung her legs out of bed, and officially joined the welcoming committee Sirena had begun by waking up Nat.

Throwing caution to the wind, Nicole didn't bother getting dressed as she joined Nat, Sirena, and Gracie, still clad in their nightgowns. They went out to the balcony, and ran to Michaela's room.

"Good morning, sleeping beauty!" Sirena shouted, yanking open the curtains. "Get up! We only have today to make fools of ourselves."

Nicole and Gracie ran to Katherine's room, giggling hysterically, while Nat and Sirena continued to Adele's room.

Sirena pounced on Adele's bed, and Adele sat up with a shriek, her hair neatly tied up in rag curls.

"What are you doing?" She demanded.

"Adele, we're at the freaking beach. Get up!" Sirena exclaimed. "Sophia isn't here, Ethan isn't here, just us. C'mon!"

They set about waking up the rest of the Selected girls, splitting up into smaller groups until they were all assembled on the balcony—all in their night gowns, even Mackenzie and Cordelia.

"To the beach!" Sirena cried, gathering up handfuls of her long nightgown, and running madly down the stairs leading off the balcony to the sand. The others followed, glad to be over with the ordeal of the rebel attack, and for a moment, not having to worry about the Selection. Soon, most of them were in the water, splashing each other and playing in the waves and making utter fools of themselves.

After a while, they trooped back up to Trentworth, their soaked nightgowns trailing in the sand. The maids present shooed them back to their rooms, promising to have swimsuits made for them by tomorrow.

…

**Yeah, I'm going to post it here, because I'm not really going to have time to write much, but I just wanted to let you all know, I'm going to be absent from Fanfiction and Pinterest all next week, since I'm going on a trip with my class, and we're not allowed to have electronics. So yeah. I'll try to handwrite some stuff anyway, but I really need to figure out how to advance the plot…sorry for the short chapter!**

**-Shades**


	50. Trash The Dress

**The Story: So I started my Pinterst Board to pin face claims and outfit ideas and stuff. You would think with all the dresses I have pinned and you guys have pinned, that when I needed a dress for someone, I could go "shopping" for one. But no. I have to search for more.**

**Guys I'm back with a full length chapter! I kinda stole the idea from The One, but I put my own twist on it. **

**Special thanks to my reviewers! Without you guys, I couldn't have made it to CHAPTER FIFTY! **SportyJpoo, Smiley face, majestictales, Anegreig, fairy not princess, delovlies, 4Love4Love4, EruditeAbnegationMockingjay, baaacooon **and **UltimateMaxmerica **to whom I dedicate this chapter!**

…

Trentworth was practically another world away. And for now, it was perfect.

Aside from the staff, the only inhabitants of the seaside estate were the Selected. None of the royals were there, still trying to fix the situation the attack had wrought on the palace, the country, and on international relations. Ethan, Michelle and Christine were supposed to arrive that night, but no one was exactly dreading the arrival. The two princesses were much less critical and much more fun to be with then the king and queen. And as much as they all loved Ethan, it was hard to be yourself when the stakes were so high. Still, they were excited to see him.

The sun was sinking over the ocean, and the girls were preparing for dinner. They didn't have too much in the way of super formal evening gowns, but they were making due. Gracie had gone with Nicole to Nat's room, where Sirena and Rory were as well. It was crowded, but fun. The lack of maids also proved difficult, and the girls were left to fend for themselves—or each other.

"So I hear Ethan is arriving just in time for dinner." Rory announced, as she applied a heavy coat of eyeliner. Gracie felt her stomach tie up in knots. Being around Ethan was terrifying and wonderful at the same time. But the tea-length bubble gum pink dress she had been about to put on wouldn't do for seeing him again. She sighed, and plunked down on the bed.

"I have nothing to wear now." She admitted. Nicole looked up from where she was pinning Nat's hair up.

"What's wrong with the one you had?"

"I don't know. I didn't know Ethan was going to be there…" Gracie twisted her fingers together, and slumped her shoulders.

"You look great in pink, though." Sirena said, patting her shoulder.

"And you look great in anything you put on. He'll notice you in jeans and a tee shirt." Gracie said glumly. Sirena had on a long dress, with a black tulle skirt and a black and white striped strapless top.

"Gracie, don't give me that." Sirena said, suddenly serious. "You know you're pretty."

"Yeah, but-"

"You're not fat either. Don't lie to yourself. I spent too many years doing just that and I practically ruined my life."

"If you want to borrow something of mine, go ahead." Nicole offered. Gracie studied her dress, with a light blue chiffon skirt and a lace top. Nicole certainty wouldn't go unnoticed either. She never did.

Gracie shook her head, fighting back jealously for one of her closest friends.

"It's okay." Gracie said, and put her robe back on. "I'm going back to my room."

"Just wear the pink one." Nicole told her.

"Why? So you're the only one Ethan notices?" Gracie snapped, her jealously rising. Nicole looked at her, shocked.

"I didn't mean-" She began. Gracie wished she could take back her words, but it was too late. Instead, she bolted from the room. She slammed her own door behind her and went out on the wrap-around balcony, tears streaming down her cheeks. It wasn't fair. She knew she should apologize, but she was still pretty jealous. She heard the click of high heels behind her, and an exasperated sigh.

"Seriously? Do you have to cry so _loud_?" Mackenzie huffed, propping one hand on her hip. She was decked out in a clingy aqua blue backless number, with a typical slit up on leg.

"Sorry." Gracie mumbled, turning back to her room.

"By the way, I wouldn't show up to dinner in that." Mackenzie called, motioning at Gracie's robe. "Ethan's going to be there." She added smugly.

"I know!" Gracie snapped. "I'm trying to figure out something to wear!"

"Sor-_ry_! Just trying to help!" Mackenzie rolled her eyes. "Look, I know we haven't exactly been the best of friends—"

"You can say that again." Gracie muttered.

"But I can tell you need some help. Take some advice from me. You really want to get Ethan's attention? Wear something totally unexpected." Mackenzie actually smiled kind of sweetly at Gracie. "Actually, I have just the thing in mind. I had it made for the masquerade, but my idiot maids made it too short, and well—long story short, I'm willing to let you borrow it."

Gracie hesitated. Did Mackenzie really have a soul after all? "Well, I don't know…"

"Here, I'll go get it. My maids told me I didn't need it here, but I convinced them otherwise." She ran back into her room, leaving Gracie alone on the balcony.

A moment later, she was back, with a garment bag over her shoulder.

"Take it from me, Ethan won't be able to take his eyes off you in this." She said, grinning. She unzipped the bag, revealing its contents.

The dress was black, a color Gracie hardly ever wore. Whereas Mackenzie was pretty tall and full figured, Gracie was short and petite, but the dress still looked pretty skimpy and at least two sizes too small. The fabric almost looked like leather, and the tight corset top looked anything but comfortable. There was a significantly sized slit in the front, so both legs would be on display to the thighs. It had little cap sleeves on the upper arm, but only a panel of skimpy black lace halfway up the back.

Gracie felt her eyes bug out at the mere sight of the dress. "Me?" She squeaked out. "In that?!"

"Take it from me. You'll look like a million bucks in it. Why do you think Ethan can't stop looking at me?"

"Yeah but-"

"Confidence. That's all you need to wear anything. I used to know a designer who said a dress like this could make a man fall in love with you in two seconds. This dress is perfect. He might even kiss you if you wear it."

"Really?"

"Definitely." Mackenzie said with a wink. "Here, come into my room. I'll give you a full makeover.

Gracie followed Mackenzie inside her room. While they hadn't been given the option to redecorate them here at Trentworth, the room still screamed Mackenzie. Most notably the scent of perfume hanging in the air, and the clothes and shoes everywhere. After much yanking and pulling and squeezing and with Mackenzie's help, Gracie got the dress on.

"Why is it so tight?" She gasped.

"So it won't fall off." Mackenzie snickered. "C'mon. You need the makeup to match."

She styled it on blonde waves on one side and applied heavy eyeliner and mascara, so much that Gracie could see it when she looked down. Hot pink lipstick and a borrowed pair of five inch red heels completed the look.

"Ready?"

"As I'll ever be." Gracie said, willing the dress to stay on. "I can't really breathe."

"You'll be fine. Stay here for five minutes. You'll want to make an entrance, so be late." Mackenzie actually squeezed her hand, and then sauntered out of the room.

Gracie waited until the hallways were quiet, and she could walk in the shoes before venturing outside. The stairs were a little treacherous, and many maids stopped what they were doing and stared at her, eyebrows raised. The dining room went silent as she walked in. Nicole refused to look at her, but Rory clapped.

"Yeah, Gracie!"

"Seriously?" Lissa asked as Gracie sat down, opposite of her and next to Mackenzie, hoping sitting made it easier to breathe.

"What are you trying to go for?" Amber said, scowling.

"Wow, trashy much?" Cordelia tittered. "Totally desperate."

Gracie steeled herself against the remark, and concentrated on eating. However, the tight dress made it pretty difficult.

Halfway through the meal, the royals were announced. Michelle and Christine entered together, still in rumpled casual dresses, apologizing for their attire. The girls rose to curtsey to them, but they were quickly told not to bother. Ethan arrived a few minutes after them. By then, Gracie could barely breathe. As she struggled to her feet for the obligatory curtsey, she saw Ethan stare at her. And not favorably.

"He noticed!" Mackenzie whispered to her.

"He doesn't look impressed."

"Trust me, a pretty girl scares him to death." Mackenzie patted her hand. Gracie tried to turn to see where Ethan was sitting, but the dress was too restrictive, and her boobs were about to fall out of the dress, so she remained still.

After dinner, they went out on the wrap-around terrace, rewarded with the views of the sun setting over the ocean, turning the water orange, like it was on fire.

Mackenzie sat with Gracie, since her usual friends avoided her like the plague. Ethan stood nearby, talking to Michaela about her shoulder, since she sported a cast from the rebel attack.

"Go up to him." Mackenzie hissed to Gracie. "Don't let him leave. He's a little slow when it comes to romance, so you make the first move."

As soon as Michaela left, Mackenzie practically shoved Gracie out of her chair. Gracie quickly righted herself, and approached Ethan.

"Hi!" She said brightly, nervously touching her hair. Ethan swallowed, his face turning red.

"Oh. Hi. I didn't recognize you."

Gracie laughed a little too loudly. "I almost don't recognize myself."

"Yeah."

"So, how was your trip?"

"Uneventful." Ethan refused to look at her, and instead kept his eyes on the ocean. Gracie kept her smile up in spite of the sinking feeling in her stomach. She saw Cordelia sit down next to Mackenzie, and they both looked at each other and dissolved into laughter.

"I can't believe she fell for it!" She heard Mackenzie say around giggles.

Tears pricked Gracie's eyes as she realized that Mackenzie was only being nice to her as a horrible joke. She had trusted Mackenzie, only to make a complete fool of herself. She glanced back at Ethan, biting her lip to keep from bursting into sobs. He was watching Mackenzie and Cordelia, but he glanced back at her. Gracie looked down, feeling like a total idiot.

"I'm so sorry." She managed, her voice catching on a sob. It was all she could think to say. She gathered up handfuls of the dress and fled the terrace, tripping over her heels. By the time she made it to her room, she had lost both of them, and her breath was coming in great, gasping sobs. She yanked off the ridiculous dress, not caring that it ripped. By then, she was crying so hard, her makeup was running all over her face. She heaved the dress at the door, and threw on a long cream colored chiffon dress, that seemed to be a staple at Trentworth. She went to the bathroom, and scrubbed the makeup of her face, seemingly unable to stop crying. She curled up in her bed, sniffing.

She had made a complete and utter fool of herself. What was she thinking, trusting Mackenzie? It was a horrible mistake. She had probably lost not only Ethan's friendship but Nicole's as well.

A knock at her door startled her. _Must be someone coming to kick me out. _

"Come in." She said, wiping at her eyes and sitting up.

The door opened, revealing Ethan. The last person she wanted to see. Except maybe Mackenzie. Gracie looked down, suddenly interested in the carpet. She was aware of Ethan approaching, and then him sitting down next to her.

"So I'm an idiot." She finally said.

"And Mackenzie's a jerk."

"Yup."

"I'd kick her out, except she's a Two and the public love her, and my dad would hate me…"

"It's okay. I shouldn't have trusted her. I just really wanted…I thought maybe you would…I don't know, _notice _me."

"Well, if that was your goal, I certainly did." Ethan replied, one side of his mouth turning up in a smirk. Gracie couldn't help but laugh a little.

"I bet I looked pretty ridiculous."

"Well, any time a girl wears that much makeup, I tend to look away. You look much better without all of that." They both blushed simultaneously, and another awkward silence ensued. Without warning, Ethan took her hand.

"So I'm really not good at this kind of stuff. I mean the Selection was kind of my worst nightmare, and you guys un-arm me, and I turn into a blundering idiot—"

"Ethan?" Gracie burst out.

"Yeah?"

"Just shut up and kiss me."

Gracie could barely believe what she was saying, but the next thing she knew, Ethan wrapped his arm around her shoulders, and she was leaning in, her heart racing. His other hand went just under her chin, angling her face to his, and he was leaning in and she somehow remembered to close her eyes and their lips met in the middle. It was brief, but sweet. They parted, and Gracie couldn't help but smile.

...

**Oh yes I am fantastic at writing kissing *sarcasm* **

**Anyway, please review! **

**-Shades**


	51. Keep it Together

**The Story: That awkward moment when you're talking to your friend and you're friend's crush who happens to also like your friend comes up and they launch into FlirtFest. And your other friend likes the same guy and you kinda do too. Can someone say Awko Taco? (Yes, I'm having middle school-esque high school drama and for once, this sort of relates to the chapter).**

**I think I should always apologize for the wait. I'm a busy person. And the next three weeks aren't going to help with updates! **

**Thanks to these wonderful folks: **fairy not princess, delovlies, UltimateMaxmericaShipper, 4Love4Love4, Smiley Face, SportyJpoo, Demigod-Gallagher-Selected, pottergirl18, baaacooon, the5SOS-YAfangirl, **and new reviewer** rachelsoccerchica**! This chapter is…just read it!**

…

There were no lessons at Trentworth. Sophia wasn't even there, still back at the Angeles Palace, assisting the queen with the reconstruction of the palace. Breakfast and lunch were informal affairs, usually taken in their rooms or on the terrace, instead of a grand fuss made about meals in the dining room at the palace.

At times, it didn't even feel like the Selection anymore. The seventeen remaining girls hardly ever saw Ethan, except at dinner. The King and Queen and Prince Andrew still had not arrived, which added to the relaxed atmosphere. It had started to feel more like summer camp or something.

There were no set schedules, but only the unofficial one. After getting up late in the day, the girls would usually have a light breakfast in their rooms, before attiring themselves in beach clothes—now that the staff had had them made, they no longer had to wear nightgowns. A majority of the day was spent soaking up the Trentworth sunshine on the beach. Around three or so, they all returned inside, parting ways to shower and change out of their swimsuits. Some girls relaxed in their rooms, and others would assemble in the main room that served as a hall on the second floor that their doors all faced, or out on the terrace if it wasn't too hot. Around six or so, they would change for dinner at seven, and the rest of evening was usually spent downstairs with Ethan and the two princesses.

On their fifth day at Trentworth, two days after Gracie's fiasco, Nicole headed down to the terrace facing the ocean, where she and others usually waited for the rest of the Selected. She hadn't seen or talked to Gracie yesterday, but the day before, Gracie had yelled her, accusing her of trying to keep Ethan to herself, and the words still stung, especially from a close friend. As Nicole stepped out onto the terrace, she spotted Autumn, and went to join her friend while she waited for Nat and some of the others.

"Hi, Autumn!" She said. Her blonde friend wore a simple turquoise tankini, a white shirt with the buttons undone covering her pale skin from the sun. Nicole had a strapless pink one piece, underneath a long cream colored sundress.

"Hey!" Autumn responded. The girls launched into a brief conversation about what they were wearing to dinner before Nat and Sirena arrived. Nat had her hair pulled back into a French braid, reminding Nicole of her twin before the Selection. She sported a blue and white checked almost gingham suit with a halter top. Sirena wore a flattering bikini, with a pink brassiere top and black and white polka dotted bottoms, her hair in its usual flawless curls.

"Hey guys!" Sirena said brightly, looking enthusiastic, her face glowing. She wasn't wearing as much makeup as she usually did, and she actually looked prettier. Nicole noticed Nat still had a slightly detached air about her, as she had since the rebel attack on the night of the masquerade.

"What's wrong?" She asked quietly as Rory arrived in a purple and pink bikini, and greeted Sirena.

"Nothing." Nat said quickly, smiling a little too widely, and not hiding the sadness in her eyes. "Why do you ask?" She gave a nervous laugh, and Nicole looked at her quizzically.

"You sure? You've been acting like this since the attack."

"Nicky, I'm fine. If anything was wrong, I'd tell you."

"Okay, okay. Just looking out for you!" Nicole grinned at her twin, when behind her, someone cleared their throat. She turned, her smile fading as she saw Gracie, wearing a hot pink and white polka-dotted tankini under a sheer white cover-up.

"Can I talk to you?"

Nicole shrugged. "I suppose."

"I just want to say I'm sorry for what I said to you the other day. I was feeling pretty jealous. He always notices you."

Nicole sighed. Gracie was so sweet it was hard to stay mad at her. "It's forgotten." She finally said. "But he does _not _notice me."

"Deny what you want, but it's true." Gracie teased.

"So where were you yesterday?" Nicole quickly tried to change the subject.

Gracie giggled, her cheeks turning pink. "Ethan took me riding on the beach. There was no one around, and this place is beautiful! Did you know they have stables here, Nat?" She turned to her. Nat immediately grabbed Gracie's arm, her horse-deprived state showing through.

"What? Tell me everything."

"Well, we talked a lot-"

"No! Not about him! I don't care about him. Tell me about the horses."

As the two girls launched into an equestrian focused conversation, Nicole pondered her sister's words. She didn't care about Ethan. Did she even want to be here? She was surprised to feel the relief that she didn't have to compete against Nat, but also the rivalry Gracie's words had made her feel. _Me? Jealous? Please, I'm not here for the guy. _It was time to focus on why she was here—to climb castes and pursue her dream of becoming a dancer.

Smoothing back her hair, she turned to the conversation her friends were having, before it was rudely interrupted by Mackenzie. She snorted as she walked past Gracie and the others, tossing her strawberry blonde locks, flaunting her body in a skimpy black two-piece.

"Bet Ethan _sure _noticed you the other night." She scoffed sarcastically. Rory rolled her eyes at her ex-friend. Nicole reached for Gracie's hand to comfort her against the bully's words.

To her surprise, Gracie pulled her short frame to her full height.

"Yeah. He did." She called back. "But he noticed me even more when he came and kissed me afterwards."

"WHAT?" Cordelia squawked at her place by Mackenzie's side. The girls immediately launched into a clamor. Nicole let go of Gracie's hand, swallowing back her jealousy. Nope. She wasn't jealous. Why should she be? She wasn't in love.

"Did he really?" Michaela pressed.

"Tell us everything!" Amber added.

"Why would he kiss _you _first?" Mackenzie cried. "You're—you're…." She sputtered.

"I don't know, but it was amazing!" Gracie sighed dreamily.

"I bet that was his first kiss—ever." Amelia mused.

"Was it yours too?" Katherine asked. Gracie nodded.

"He sure must like you to kiss you first." Rory huffed.

"Actually, he kissed me on our date." Adele suddenly said, stepping forward, wearing a high waisted cream colored bikini with navy accents. Gracie's smile fell flat.

"WHAT?" Cordelia squawked again. "On your first date?"

"Why didn't you tell me?" Felicity demanded.

"You're lying." Erin accused.

"No, I'm not. Ask him if you don't believe me." Adele shot back, propping her hands on her hips, glaring Erin down.

"Has anyone else been kissed and just not saying anything?" Amber looked slightly put out.

The girls went silent.

"Whatever!" Mackenzie threw her hand into the air and stalked off the terrace and down to the beach, Cordelia following. A few of the others began following, talking furiously. Nicole watched a gaggle of them attach themselves to Gracie and Adele, for every detail.

She suddenly didn't feel like going to the beach today.

Alone, she retreated back inside the estate, stepping into the cool dimness. Compared to the palace, the staff was skeletal. She saw only one maid as she trudged up the stairs to her room, gritting her teeth. Gracie and Adele were her friends. But right now, she didn't want to even see them. She picked up the pace and practically ran up the stairs. This was not an excuse to let her skills decline. She stepped into her room, and stalked across to the French doors leading to the wrap-around balcony. She closed them, blocking out the happy shrieks and laughter of the other Selected down at the water. She kicked off her sandals and went to her closet. It was time to dance.

Since leotards and tutus weren't common apparel at the palace, Nicole made due with a cream tulle slip and a black camisole she found. She changed out of her swimsuit, and put them on, and then dug through her closet until she located her pointe shoes. She laid them by her bed and put her hair in a bun.

After warming up, using her dresser as a barre, she laced herself into her pointe shoes, and began to practice. The ache in her toes and legs told her she was out of practice, and soon she was breathless. _Out of shape. _She mentally berated herself, and worked even harder. After about half an hour, she heard a knock at her door, startling her out of her reverie. She quickly tucked her now haphazard hair out of her eyes, and went to door, hoping it was just a maid.

It wasn't.

"Oh. Hi. I mean…" Nicole fumbled for words as she sunk down into a curtsey. "Princess Christine. I wasn't expecting you." She stuttered.

"Sorry to bother you. I just saw you come back inside from my window. I thought you might have forgotten something, but I was just coming to see if you were okay." The blonde princess, Andrew's wife, said. She surveyed Nicole's choice of dress, staying on her pointe shoes. "But I can see you were otherwise occupied."

Nicole nodded slowly. "I…um, needed to practice."

"I didn't realize you danced."

"I do." Nicole was slightly in awe. Before the Selection and marrying Prince Andrew, she had been a professional ballerina herself, on her way to becoming a principal. "I mean, I may be a Four, but I didn't let that stop me."

"It shouldn't." Christine smiled warmly at her.

"So that's why I joined the Selection." Nicole found herself saying. "To, you know, become a Three. And a Two if I get to Elite."

"That's it?"

Nicole nodded firmly.

"You know, Ethan admires you. He was all in a fluster about your date, especially after it rained. I've seen how he watches you."

"He likes Gracie. Not me." Nicole said quickly.

"He likes you too."

Nicole studied her slippers. "Will you teach me?" She blurted out. Blushing, she back-peddled. "I mean…I've never really had proper training. I used to sneak into the theatre and record their practices and their performances and study them. I've read plenty of books. But…you…" She trailed off, embarrassed. There was quiet for a moment.

"Nicole, you know, ballet isn't everything." Christine said.

"Not to me." Nicole lifted her chin in the air.

Christine smirked. "Sounds familiar."

"What?"

"I think I told Andrew the same thing when I first met him."

"Oh."

"I never dreamed I'd let love stand in my way of being a principle. But I did." Chrsitine smiled, remembering the memories fondly. After a moment. "So if you really want to learn?"

Nicole nodded.

"Right then. Let's get started."

…

_Dear Wes,  
It's been six days since the rebel attack, which means six days ever since that night. Our night. It's also been six days since we've talked. I guess it makes literal sense as I'm in Trentworth tanning while you recover in Bonita.  
And Wes, how are you? The Queen has restricted information concerning you from the Selected's ears. Or rather, I suppose, my own. Whether it is out of love for Ethan, or protectiveness for you, I guess only she will know. I understand either way. I AM technically here for Ethan, and it was because of me that you were shot. So it could actually be both now that I think about it.  
Am I rambling? Probably. I don't regret it enough to crumple this letter up though, as I have multiple times already for days.  
That's right, Wes. I've been trying to write you ever since we were split up. Which leads me to one of the reasons I'm writing this. That day, six weeks ago, I tried to see you. I waited outside your room for hours before your mother came out. I won't tell you what she said, as she IS your mother, so you wouldn't believe me. I will say, however, that she knew about us. I need to end it now before I commit even more treason. I cannot give anybody a greater chance of finding out about my betrayals.  
This letter did not turn out how I wanted at all. It is too sad, too heavy-hearted. Why did I start trying to write this again? That is a question for you. Write me back if you can. Then again, you might never receive this letter. It all depends on if I can trust someone. I bribed one of the maids, Scarlet, here to get this to you. But I must try. I have dared trying to love Ethan, but whenever I look at him, I see you. Is that silly? Maybe.  
But I don't care.  
Love yours only._

Lissa scanned over what she had written. This was hopeless. She had promised one of her maids, Scarlet, who had come with them from the palace several pieces of "her" jewelry and the little cash she had on her in exchange for delivering the letter. She figured she could trust her, although she hardly ever saw her, due to the lack of staff here. She was one of her ladies maids, and Scarlet was only a few years older than her, and they had bonded quickly. She decided not to sign her name, in case someone found the letter. They could both be killed for this.

Maybe because Wesley was a prince as well, it wouldn't be so bad if she was found out.

She hadn't felt like being part of the Selection day. Even at Trentworth. She had holed up in her room in a long white dress, apparently what princesses-in-training wore at the beach. Her fingers traced the outline of her necklace. The one Wesley had given her for her birthday. She wore it always, although recently she had been keeping it tucked under her dress. Would Wesley even believe her? She had been framed by the Queen into looking like she didn't love him.

But she did.

And more than anything, she needed to see him again.

…

**Credit to **the5SOS-YAfangirl** for writing the letter! And also pointing out that technically THIS is chapter 50 because one of the chapters was an authors note! **

**I'm going to try to update later this week, but probably not at all for the next two weeks after. I'm graduating from high school, and I'm in a production at school, so no time. Sorry! **

**Make sure to review and check out the Pinterest page for the swimsuits in this chapter (you'll have to scroll through quite a bit). Also I have a new poll, so check that out! **

**AND I HAVE NEW FUNCTIONAL COMPUTER!**

**-Shades**


	52. Only Just Out Of Reach

**The Story: So I've been re-reading the original three books (halfway through the Heir) and I realized that Maxon's Selection is the fourth one…ever. So I guess that makes this an AU fic, because I had it set before them, but apparently that was Clarkson's parents and that whole shebang. (-that apparently is a word?). I could say it was after, but I tried to do the whole start of the rebellion and such…I don't know. **

**Special shout out to my faithful reviewers! Love ya'll—**delovlies, UltimateMaxmericaShipper, 4Love4Love4, Smiley face, guest, baaacooon, **and **fairy not princess**! *give cookie dough***

**So this picks up a few hours after the other one left off. Pretty self explanatory! **

**Warning-ELIMINATION! *laughs manically* **

…

Adele felt bad. She really did. Ethan had asked her to keep the secret of their kiss, and the second that was threatened, she had blurted it out.

But then again, the look on Gracie's face had been worth it. And Cordelia's. And Mackenzie's. And Erin's. Adele couldn't help smirking as she put the finishing touches on her hair. It was nice to finally let them know that she had the first kiss.

It was weird, not having three maids at her beck and call. The staff at Trentworth was inadequate, to say the least, when the royal family was absent. Several had come with the girls and with Christine, Michelle, and Ethan, but they had so much to do, that Adele had assured them she could get ready for dinner on her own. She'd been doing her hair and make-up by herself for years before the Selection. Typically, she would get ready with Felicity, but her best friend was still mad about the kiss thing. So she was by herself.

Adele had pinned her curls back into an updo of sorts, holding it back with a white scarf headband. Well, her hair was still too short to be in an updo, but it worked. She wore a light sea foam blue/green tulle dress, with simple straps and a high waist. Another thing about not having maids—no new dresses. Still, there were plenty of airy dresses that had been made before the Selection and residing at Trentworth in case there had ever been a reason to go there. Adele had brought a few of her vintage dresses, but everything here was informal, and she didn't need a wear an evening gown to dinner, just something nice.

But she was late. They had stayed out most of the afternoon at the beach, soaking up sun and playing in the waves, and she had barely had enough time to shower and change. Adele had never been to the seaside before, and there was something magical about it! Unfortunately, she sported a nice sunburn on her cheeks and on the bridge of her nose. She wiped off her usual bright red lipstick, swapping it for a darker, less sunburned color, and applied a bit more mascara. She glanced at the time, finding she was now five minutes late.

She pulled on one shoe and tried to spray hairspray at the same time, but ended up hoping around on one leg, and then on the tile. A loud knock at her door rang through the tiny bathroom.

"Coming!" Adele cried, frustrated. She pulled on her other shoe, and grabbed her earrings off her vanity. She stormed to the door, fumbling to put on the things. The knocking at her door increased. Maybe it was Sophia, back from the palace ready to yell at her, or Gracie demanding to know why Ethan could possibly be in love with anyone but her. With one earring on, Adele wretched it open.

"What?!" She yelled, before seeing who it was. A man, a little older than her, stood before her, his hand still held in knocking position. He had dark hair, and an obnoxious smile.

"What do you want?" Adele demanded, fussing with her other earring.

"I heard a report that your hot water tank was broken." He said, smirking annoyingly. "Though while maybe all you chicks were at dinner I could fix it. I'm Colin, by the way."

"Yeah? Well my hot water tank is fine. So if you'll excuse me-" Adele tried to get by, but Colin blocked her.

"You are Sirena, right?"

"No, you got the wrong room. She's next door." Adele hooked her thumb to the right. "I'm Adele."

"Ah, the Five who forgot her place in the world." He said.

"What are you talking about?" Adele huffed, rolling her eyes. "Look, I really have to get to dinner, so please let me by!"

Colin chuckled at her, and Adele bristled. "Excuse _me_!" She shoved passed him, and stalked down the hall.

"Don't forget where you came from, Adele." He called after her.

"Don't forget who you are speaking to!" She shouted over her shoulder. "That's Lady Adele to you!" She gave an exasperated sigh, and picked up her skirts, taking the steps two at a time. The place was deserted, now that dinner was ten minutes in. Her heels echoed loudly on the marble as she hurried to the dining room. All the rooms at Trentworth were loosely connected, no specific doors, just a large open space with open doorways.

She entered the dining room, murmuring an apology as she curtsied to the three present royals. Unlike at the palace, they were free to sit where they wanted. There were two seats left, at the end, next to Gracie on one side and Michaela on the other. Adele realized she wasn't the only one late, but that Sirena was absent as well. She sat down next to Michaela, and a waiter brought her a plate.

A few minutes after Adele, Sirena scurried in, her face flushed. She curtsied and found her seat, biting her lip to keep from grinning.

"What are you so happy about?" Michaela asked teasingly.

"And why are you guys late? You that's against the rules." Cordelia chimed in, further down the table.

Adele rolled her eyes. "Yeah, he's sending me home because I was late getting ready for dinner." She said sarcastically.

"He kissed you. He's not sending you home for that." Gracie chimed in, her lips curved into a pout. Adele wanted to roll her eyes again, but she decided against it. Everyone was getting on her nerves, and that dumb Colin had made her mad. Who was he, some handy man, to tell her what she should be?

She ripped her role in half with a little more force than intended.

"Wow, what did bread ever do to you?" Sirena joked.

Adele scowled. "Sorry. I'm just in a bad mood. Some ridiculous servant just got in my way. He said your water heater was broken, but came to my room by accident."

"Was his name Colin?" Sirena brightened.

"Something like that."

"He's cute. He's fixing my water heater now. I hope he's there when we get back." Sirena mused. "I bet he's a really good kisser."

"Sirena! That's not allowed!" Gracie gasped.

"It's not like it has to mean anything." Sirena shrugged. "And he was pretty attractive, wasn't he, Adele?"

"No." Adele scoffed, stabbing her steak with her fork. "Ethan's way better. And probably a better kisser than some Seven."

"Yeah!" Gracie said loudly.

…

After dinner, as they usually did, the girls gathered with some drinks on the terrace to watch the sunset and catch the seaside breeze. Michelle and Christine had joined them tonight, although Ethan had disappeared. Katherine found Michaela and Amelia, her two closest friends, and went to join them. They were deep in discussion about something, and Amelia was glowing.

"What's up?" She asked, sitting down on the steps leading down to the short stretch of gardens and then to the beach.

"Amelia went on a date today. With Ethan." Michaela said, a little too loudly. She seemed so happy at Trentworth, back near the beach, since she had grown up on the coast of Sumner. Several of the girls around them went quiet and started tuning into their conversation. Katherine felt deflated. It was hard to deny her attraction to the prince. He was so quiet and handsome…

"We just walked along the beach together. It wasn't a big deal." Amelia said, blushing. "But he talked a lot. About the rebuilding and stuff. I've never heard him talk so much."

"Did he kiss you?" Gracie butted in. It seemed that she was now in charge of keeping track of who got kissed, and why.

"No! There was no reason to!" Amelia defended. "I mean, we hardly know each other. But he did hold my hand."

"Well goody for you. Can you shut up about it?" Erin said, looked really mad. "I didn't come out here to listen to you mooning over some guy."

"He's not just _some guy_. He's the prince!" Gracie exclaimed.

"Yeah, but he'll never be king." Erin cried. "And I feel sorry for whoever marries him. You'll just be a princess."

"A princess sounds pretty good to me!" Mackenzie countered.

"And besides. I love him." Gracie blurted.

"It's a bit early to be in love, isn't it?" Katherine piped up, her stomach clenching in unexpected nervousness.

"Erin, you're just jealous." Adele claimed. Their rivalry had continued to grow, while Erin's rivalry with Amelia had shrunk.

"I wasn't talking to you!" Erin spat. "I was talking to her, little miss goody two-shoes-who-won't-shut up!" She pointed to Amelia.

Amelia stood up, tossing her dark hair back. "Erin, I know you're only here to take this away from me." She said sternly. She swallowed nervously. "Because I wronged you and you won't forgive me. But I think you should stop. There's more to life than messing up mine. Why don't you look at Ethan for who he is, instead of what he is?"

"You have no right to tell me what to do." Erin glowered, her voice getting softer. "You were a terrible best friend. You never-"

"Cheated on your boyfriend? No. But you did."

In the gathering darkness, Katherine almost would have missed it, except for the sound. Erin slammed the back of her hand across Amelia's face. There were several soft cries of shock and gasps. Amelia's hand went to her bleeding nose.

"Finally." Erin growled. "I've been wanting to do that for a long time. I hope I never have to see you again."

"What did I ever do to you?" Amelia begged, now crying. Michaela offered her a handkerchief for her nose. "I'm so sorry."

"Yeah? Well I'm not. I'm so out of here. Have your prince. Not that he'll ever marry you anyway." Erin stalked back inside.

"She'll be sent home for that." Mackenzie muttered.

No one was really sad about that.

…

"What's gotten into you?" Nicole elbowed her twin as they went back to their rooms. After darkness had fallen, they had gathered in one of the parlors for an hour long card game of spoons. It had even made Lissa smile, and she'd been strangely distant since they had arrived at Trentworth.

For a while, Nat had seemed back to normal—feisty and happy—but as they had begun to go back to their rooms, she had zoned out, and had jumped when Nicole had called her name.

"What do you mean?" Nat tried to laugh it off, but the sentence was too rehearsed.

"What happened? You seem…I don't know, different?"

"Well I didn't win that card game." Nat grinned cheekily, but her eyes still seemed sad.

"Seriously, Nat. You've been like this since the masquerade. What's up?"

"Well, you have to admit. It was terrifying. If it hadn't been for-" Nat abruptly went silent, and a blush grew on her neck. "I mean, if the army hadn't of come….we would probably be dead."

"What were you going to say?" Nicole pressed. Nat was silent as they went up the stairs to the second floor.

"Just…Nicky, I can't tell you."

For a second, Nicole was terrified something awful had happened to her sister. She pulled her into her own room, just as Nat burst into uncharacteristic tears.

"Nat, what happened?" She asked again. Nat sat down on Nicole's bed, covering her face with her hands, in a puddle of gray chiffon. Her twin's shoulders shook with sobs, so Nicole wrapped her arm around her.

"I was so shocked to see him!" She cried into her hands, her hair spilling out of its pins down around her face. "And then I went to the stables…and he saved my life and he killed him…." She looked up at Nicole, her makeup smeared everywhere. "And I still love him, but now he's gone." She broke into sobs again.

"Who's gone? Ethan?" Nicole asked gently, utterly confused.

"No…Ben." Nat sobbed out.

"Ben? As in… you're Ben?"

Nat nodded. "He's a rebel. Or was, I guess." She wiped at her eyes. "And we kissed. And I love him. He said he only joined the rebels to get back at me. But he shot that guy to save me, so if he's found out…anyway, I'll never see him again."

Now utterly spent, Nat sat silently on Nicole's bed, tears dripping down her cheeks. Not knowing what else to do, Nicole hugged her.

"I don't think so." She tried to reassure. "If he saved your life…"

"You don't understand. He can't. He's a traitor to Illea by joining the rebels, but he shot one of their main leaders. And if anyone finds out it was him…" Nat trailed off. She looked up at her sister. "You can't tell anyone."

"I won't."

"I guess I better be going." Nat said after a moment. She stood up, wiping her makeup carefully and smoothing her hair. "Goodnight." She gave a weak smile, and hugged Nicole quickly. "I don't think I can ever love Ethan." She spoke randomly.

"Well, I'm sure if you ask, he'll let you leave like the other girls…" Nicole shrugged.

"Nah, I can stick around. I think you need me."

"What makes you say that?"

"You're falling in love with him."

"I am not!" Nicole denied. "But he is nice. I mean, I don't hate him."

"Then why did you leave after Gracie and Adele spilled their secrets about kissing him?"

"Well, if you must know, I had more important things to do."

"Oh sure!" Nat teased. "Nick, I know you. I can tell when you get a crush."

"Whatever." Nicole felt her cheeks heat up, but she was glad her sister was acting normal again. "I thought you were leaving?"

"Oh, right. Goodnight!" Nat sang over her shoulder as she stepped out on the terrace. It wrapped around the whole of the estate, with stairs leading to the lower levels, and her room was right next door anyway.

Nicole flopped in a very un-princess-ly manner on her bed.

Feelings were so confusing.

…

**So I managed to get this done, but don't expect another update for like two weeks. I'm in a play next weekend and I have rehearsal every day after school until eight, and then I have exams and graduate! Plus, I need to figure out what happens next!**

**Anyway, thanks for sticking with me, guys! Don't forget to check the Pinterest page and also to vote in my new poll on my profile! And most important, review!**

**-Shades**


	53. Never Planned on You

**The Story: So almost every chapter (started after chapter twenty) has a special name, usually for no particular reason. Whatever song I'm listening to at that moment, I take a line from the lyrics or sometimes the title (or sometimes something completely random and actually related) and make the title! Now that's why they all are so random!**

**Not sure where I had the time to write this, but I did! You're welcome! **

**I have no time, so I'm not even going to shout-out my reviewers, but just know I love you all!**

…

"You really going to wear that?" Mackenzie's snippy voice irritated Sirena to no end. She placed an overly sweet smile on her face and turned around.

"No, I just have it on." Her voice oozed with sarcasm. "C'mon, Mak. This is our last day until the Queen comes. Michelle told us she doesn't approve of us running wild around the beach."

Mackenzie snorted. "Whatever. Just consider putting on something a little more…covering?" She tossed her hair and strutted away down the stairs off the balcony to the terrace, flaunting her skinny body.

Sirena stepped back into her room, to look in the mirror again. She closed the glass doors off her room behind her, the coolness of her room peaceful. She surveyed herself in the mirror. The maids had just finished her new swimsuit at her request. For the last two weeks, since thay had been at Trentworth, she had been wearing a high waisted bikini, still self-conscious of her body. Since putting her eating disorders behind her, she had been trying to hide how much weight she had lost as she gained it back to a healthy level. She had finally felt good enough in her own skin to request a full-fledged bikini to be made for her. It was a halter top- white, with gold accents, bringing out her red hair, braided sloppily to the side. She had paired it with a sheer black dress to walk out to the beach. Unusually, they Selected spent the day at the beach by themselves, but today, Ethan, Michelle and Christine were joining them. Tomorrow, Queen Francesca was coming to Trentworth for a week. Wesley would arrive the next weekend, with the King and Prince Andrew. Michelle had basically told them it was their last chance to have fun before her mother restricted them.

But now Sirena wasn't so sure. She let her shoulders slump, remembering lithe Mackenzie in her skimpy strapless black bikini and wrap and wedge heels. She was about average height, and had an athletic body. Not very curvy, but the kind of girl who would look good in anything. Last week, Mackenzie had heard through the maids that she got up two hours early to work out. _Impressive. _

Until about two minutes ago, Sirena had been proud of her body. She had always been tall, and would never ever be a size two, no matter how she dieted or exercised. Now she felt…ugly.

She had stopped wearing so much makeup the last few weeks, no longer feeling like she needed to, but now, she stalked to her bathroom for some eyeliner. Going through the familiar process was like putting on her armor. She exchanged her sheer cover up for a more substantial royal blue sundress. She wasn't going to change her swimsuit, maybe just not go in the water today, even if Ethan was going to be there. Maybe she should rethink her choice for the banquet planned for next weekend, when Wesley and Andrew arrived, too. She sighed heavily, her earlier confidence gone. She picked up her bag again, and found a pair of sunglasses before heading out onto the balcony to join the others at the beach.

…

Adele headed down to the beach, excited for a day of fun. Ethan, along with Michelle and Christine were coming today, to enjoy themselves for one day before the Queen arrived and they would have to stay inside, since she didn't like them going down the water.

Erin had been sent home after hitting Amelia, nearly two weeks ago, and some of the tension between the Selected had dissolved. Adele had always hated Erin, had had been happy to see her go. The rest of the Selected went down to the beach almost every day, and spent evenings playing card games and generally being stupid. Felicity had forgiven Adele for keeping the secret about the kiss, and even though Ethan continued to spend one-on-one time with all the girls, there were no hard feelings. Well, not _too _many.

Lissa had remained closed off to everyone, rarely joining them. Nat had initially been similar, but soon had gone back to her fun loving self, her and Sirena leading the fun. Mackenzie continued to be a jerk, being cruel to the rest, with Cordelia always behind her as her minion, of sorts. Michaela had recovered from her injury during the attack, and had been out with the prince once, coming back glowing. She had come alive in the sand and surf. Elvira would never go in the water, but lounged in the sun and had come out of her shell. She had quite a collection of floppy sun hats, and they were a nice change from her black, edgy look back at the palace.

The only annoyance in the last two weeks for Adele had been Gracie. She had sort of taken it upon herself to keep tabs on all the other girl's activities with Ethan, which annoyed Adele to no end. Felicity told her that they all considered her and Gracie to be the frontrunners since they had both been kissed. Also, one of the workers at Trentworth, Colin. She always caught him looking at her, and being generally obnoxious. He tried to talk to her when she would come down to the beach almost every day. She frowned as she saw him working in the side gardens that paralleled the short walk to the beach. He paused in his work, his eyes focusing on her. She glanced behind her, hoping one of the other girls was nearby, but she only saw Amber, Sirena and Autumn coming out of their rooms together onto the balcony. She sighed, keeping her eyes focused ahead. She adjusted her high waisted navy blue bikini with tiny polka-dots, wishing she had put on her cover-up. She tossed her hair as she passed Colin, keeping her chin high.

Annoyingly, he bowed low as she passed, brushing his hand on the ground. Adele set her jaw, trying to ignore him.

"Heels to the beach?" He accused. Adele stopped walking, and put her hands on her hips.

"Is there a problem, sir?" She snapped, glancing at her wedges, covered with navy gingham fabric. "I'm in the Selection. We're held to higher standard."

Colin snorted. "None of the girls in town wear heels to the beach." He claimed. Adele knew there was a small, poverty-stricken town on the coast about ten miles away from Trentworth, where most of the staff lived.

"Well, they're not in the Selection!"

"So because you were chosen out of all the girls in your province, that makes you better than all of them?"

"…uh…yes. It does." Adele said after a moment's hesitation. "I could be Queen someday. So excuse me." She hurried away, clenching her fists. He could be so annoying!

She joined the rest of the girls at the beach, the royals having not arrived yet. Lissa had joined them today, in a cute yellow tankini. Adele joined her and Felicity, stretching out on her towel to soak up some sun. They were having a banquet this weekend to celebrate Prince Wesley's return, and the entire royal family, and Adele wanted to look tan. She had gotten pretty sunburned last week, and her tan had ended up peeling away. Sirena, Amber, and Autumn arrived last-a little too late for Adele since she had been forced to endure Colin's obnoxious comments. Sirena started a game of volleyball. Some of the girls ventured into the waves, and the rest gathered on towels and chairs in the sun. Michaela was noticeably absent.

"That's not fair! She's been out with Ethan last week, too!" Gracie wailed. Adele cringed at the sound.

"Maybe he likes her." Katherine said quietly.

"That's not fair." Gracie pouted.

"It's not supposed to be." Adele put in.

"I hope he doesn't kiss her."

"He can if he wants too!" Adele fired back. Colin had ruffled her feathers, and Gracie was really getting under skin now. She sat up, snatched up her towel and bag, and huffed back to the estate. She wanted to be as far away as possible from Gracie right now.

And, of course, she ran into Colin. He was watering the plants closest to the terrace leading inside. With no shirt.

"Sir, it would behoove you to dress yourself properly. May I remind you that you are in the service of royal family of Illea?" She practically yelled as she stormed by. She wasn't going to let him and his annoying comments bother her. She stomped inside, ignoring the looks the maids gave her. Let them think what they wanted.

When she came up to the second floor, Colin was coming in the central door from the wrap-around balcony. He must have taken the stairs from the terrace.

"Must you always follow me around? What do you want?" She hissed at him. At least he had replaced his shirt.

"Why do you keep talking to me?"

"Because you always seem to be there!" She exclaimed, keeping her voice low. She didn't want anyone to think she was attracted to him or anything. She was barely even supposed to look at other guys besides Ethan. "You are so annoying!" The insult was lame, but at the moment, Adele didn't care.

He laughed. He had the audacity to laugh at her. Adele fumed.

"I don't get you. I thought you would be different." He said.

"What are you even talking about?"

"You. You forgot where you came from. You were a Five."

"A Five who happened to be in one of the top touring companies in all of Illea." She added.

"I guess that's where it started. You think you're better than someone because of your caste. Now you're a Three. You let it all go to your head."

"Isn't that why the castes were sat up?"

"They were put in place to subdue people." Colin said darkly. "You know, before Illea, part of it, the United States, had freedoms. You could do whatever you wanted. As long as you had two bucks in your pocket and the ambition, you could do anything. There were no castes, no monarchy. The president was elected by the people."

"Yeah, but it was corrupt."

"No more so than what we have now."

"Look, if you're some kind of rebel, go talk to one of the girls who used to be Sevens. I'm sure Lissa-"

"No, no, no, no. That's not what I meant. I just have these…ideas. And you-"

"Shhh! Someone's coming!" Adele whisper-yelled. They both fell silent, hearing approaching footsteps and voices on the stairs.

"I don't understand why she's being so mean to me." Someone said. Gracie.

"What did she say?" Ethan's voice.

"Shoot! Hide me!" Adele whispered frantically.

"What? Why?" Colin looked confused as he grabbed her arm and tugged her away from the stairs.

"Because I really can't be seen with you! And I really don't want to see them! She's bad-mouthing me!"

Colin didn't ask further questions, but threw open a small door off the central hallway, and the next thing Adele knew, they were _both _crammed in the tiny dark space.

"I didn't mean you too!" She was pressed up against his chest, his breath tickling her ear, and his arms around her as he pulled the door shut.

"Well, now we're stuck together." He whispered back teasingly.

"Get out! If we're caught-"

"I thought you were trying to escape them!"

Adele couldn't help her voice leaping from a whisper. "Ugh, you are the most impossible boy-"

He covered her mouth with his hand, cutting off her words. "Shhhh!"

"Gracie, I think you might be over reacting." They heard Ethan say, their footsteps passing right by the closet now.

"But I'm not!"

Their conversation faded, and Adele and shook off Colin's hand. "Ever!" She finished her earlier statement, and fumbled for the doorknob in the darkness.

"Then why are you stuck in a closet with me?" His voice was mocking her, but there was something more.

"Whatever. Thank you for your help." She threw open the door and now that Gracie was gone, headed back to the beach.

She wasn't sure the blush staining her cheeks would ever go away.

…

**So not much in this chapter but some hints at what to come! I really appreciate you guys reviewing, not only telling me your opinion on the story, but also on a personal level! It warms my heart so much! I love you guys!  
Make sure to vote in the poll on my profile regarding the Elite, check out the Pinterest page and most importantly, REVIEW!  
-Shades**


	54. Maybe Just A Little

**The Story: When no one reviews your update and you freak out and check email and everything obsessively and finally PM your regulars to make sure they haven't died or you did something indescribly terrible to offend them. Sorry about that guys. I'm a little obsessive. **

**Happiness to my reviewers (although I'm not sure if story alerts and reviews were working well due to some feedback) for the last two chapters: **delovlies (**x2), **fairy not princess (**x2), **Demigod-Gallagher-Selected (**x2), **the5SOS-YAfangirl (**x2), **majestictales (**x2), **4Love4Love4 (**x2), **Smiley face (**x2), as well as **pottergirl18, baaacooon, UltimateMaxmericaShipper, **and **guest**! Thanks so much guys!**

**This begins right after last chapter from Katherine's POV and the end is from Lissa's POV about a week later. I know, that's dumb, but I didn't really have anything else planned, and it would just be boring filler. **

…

"It's our last day to have fun before the queen comes, and you're just going to do that?"

Katherine opened her eyes, and pulled her sunglasses down lower on her nose, and propped herself on her elbows. Michaela stood above her, clad in her ice blue swimsuit, her blonde hair still dry. She hadn't been here for the first few hours of beach fun, probably just now arriving.

"I do this every day." Katherine shrugged, referring to lying on her towel, soaking up sunshine, sometimes talking to the other girls or playing cards with them.

"Have you even been in the ocean in the two weeks we've been here?"

"Yes! As a matter of fact, I have."

"Yeah, I remember now. You didn't even go past you knees." Michaela teased. "Besides, Ethan's going to be here soon."

"Which proves my point. I'm not going to get my hair wet and ruin my makeup with him around."

Michaela grabbed her arm, pulling her to her feet. "That's the worst excuse I've ever heard." She poked Katherine in the ribs.

"So where were you? Earlier today?" Katherine tried to change the topic as she adjusted the straps of her white lacey one-piece.

"Oh." Michaela's cheeks turned pink. "Well, Ethan invited me to have breakfast with him. And we talked for a while…" She trailed off, not making eye contact with Katherine. Though they had become best friends during their time at the Selection, they tended to avoid Ethan as a subject of conversation. It was one of the only drawbacks—friendships stood on shaky ground when a prince was at stake.

Amelia, the third link in their friendship, walked up to join them, sporting a one shoulder black tankini.

"We're all competing for him, Michaela. You don't have to pretend we aren't." She said, smiling as she linked arms with Katherine. While Katherine and Michaela had bonded over both being bakers, like Katherine, Amelia was quiet and creative, and with Michaela being a little more outgoing after they knew each other for a while, the three got along well.

"I know. I just don't want to make anyone jealous." Michaela's shoulder's drooped slightly.

"I think we're all a little jealous. But don't worry about it. We've all been there." Amelia said.

"I mean, you don't have to hide the fact that you've been spending time with him." Katherine added, trying to say something nice. Yeah, of course she was jealous. But she didn't want that to ruin their friendship.

"Speaking of which…" Michaela nodded her head to three approaching figures. Katherine felt her heart skip a beat, and her breath caught for a second. Prince Ethan walked between the two princesses, the only royals who were at Trentworth. The rest would be joining them this weekend. Princess Michelle wore a sheer cream cover up draped over her shoulders, with an elegant purple two piece, although not quite as skimpy as the ones Mackenzie and Rory pranced around it. Princess Christine set off her blonde hair with a peach pink bandeau high waisted bikini.

But it was Prince Ethan who made the sixteen girls on the beach stop and stare. Katherine bit her lip to keep from smiling. It was by far the most casual she had ever seen him dressed, in a white shirt and black swim trunks. He was smiling and joking with the two princesses.

And for the first time, Katherine felt like she wasn't just seeing Prince Ethan. She was seeing just plain Ethan.

They must have looked a little weird, all just standing there and staring. Behind her, Katherine heard Nat mutter,

"Alright guys, not cat fights. There's only one of him and sixteen of us."

"How about we let him decide?" Gracie whined.

In the end, Nat and Sirena went to talk to Michelle, and Nicole, Autumn, and Lissa hung out with Christine. Ethan started talking to Adele, and the girls gathered back into their cliques, with Gracie watching the action between Adele and Ethan like a jealous cat. The two workers that had accompanied the royals down to the beach hung back, dressed in much less elaborate uniforms than at the palace. Adele kept laughing loudly, and glancing over at them as she and Ethan chatted.

Michelle, Nat, and Sirena started another game of volleyball in the sand, and the lighter haired guard, one Katherine recognized from the palace, joined them. Rory and Amber got up from where they were tanning to play too, as did Mackenzie and Cordelia. Katherine, Michaela and Amelia found Felicity as well as Elvira sitting by herself, in one of her now signature floppy sun hats, and played a game of cards

After a while, Gracie made her move and stood next to Adele to join the conversation. They glared at each other until Adele stormed off to the volleyball game, where a little too much shrieking and loud laughing was going on.

Katherine kept sneaking peaks at a blushing Gracie, so much so, that she kept loosing. She couldn't help but sit up a little straighter when he politely untangled himself from the conversation, and walked towards them.

"So do you guys just sit on the beach and look pretty, or do you actually go in the water?" He joked. It was one of the few times Katherine had heard him initiate a conversation, and actually make a joke.

"Well, Katherine here never wants to go with me." Michaela put in, getting to her feet. "And it's no fun by yourself." She took off her sunglasses and cover-up, depositing them in her bag, and whispered something to Ethan

"What do you say, Elvira?" Ethan turned to her.

"I told you. I hate the water." Elvira said nonchalantly.

"I'll stay with her." Amelia volunteered, her voice soft and shy. Katherine nodded in agreement.

"Oh come on, girl!" Michaela prodded. "It'll be fun."

"I'm okay here, thanks." Katherine tried to be polite. But before she could say anything else, she felt someone scoop her up as if she weighed nothing, and begin to carry her to the water.

"That's one way to do it!" Michaela exclaimed, practically dancing beside Ethan now.

"Ethan! Put me down!" Katherine shrieked, although she couldn't help laughing. She kicked her legs, but much to her chagrin, couldn't get out of his grasp. Michaela cackled with mirth. Katherine squealed as they neared the waves, but it was no use. Ethan dumped her into the water, and Michaela dashed in behind her. He paused for a moment to pull off his shirt, which caused the volleyball game to come to a screeching halt, and Cordelia to get hit in the face by the ball.

Katherine came up sputtering, glad she had braided her hair this morning. Another wave splashed on top of her, much to the delight of the two conspirators as Ethan joined them in the water. Wiping the sea water out of her eyes, Katherine stood up.

"Oh, you're going to get it now!" She cried, grinning wickedly, before lunging at Ethan, and tackling him. They both smacked into the water, Katherine on top, so Ethan took most of the brunt.

"I'm going to have to keep my eye on you, Katherine." Ethan remarked when they both emerged.

"I would!" Katherine giggled. She turned on Michaela next, using her arms to splash her friend. It only took that to begin a full-fledged water fight.

Between splashes, Katherine noticed the group on the beach watching jealously. She ended up waving the rest of the girls to join them, and even the two men who had accompanied the royals for protection. She didn't want to hog the prince, and besides, they all deserved some fun.

Christine, Lissa, Amelia and Elvira stood in the shallows, scooping handfuls of water at each other. Nat and Nicole pushed each other down into the shallows, giggling. Sirena turned her back to one of the approaching waves, throwing her arms into the air, and squealed. _She is so pretty and fun, it would be no question to choose her over me. _Katherine mused, suddenly self-conscious of her plainer looks.

Nearby Adele grabbed Felicity's hands and they swung into an impromptu waltz in the waist deep water, involving a lot yelling and falling down. Katherine didn't miss the way Ethan's gaze swiveled to them, and how he helped them up when they fell, and bowed to Adele, and how close he held her as they waltzed around the waves. _Or Adele. She's so vivacious and I bet he never feels awkward around her. _

Ethan dutifully took a turn with the girls around him, and Katherine noticed the change about him. He was so much more relaxed and comfortable, teasing them, and laughing.

When the sun was sinking in the sky, they trooped back up to the sand to dry off and gather their things.

"Sorry for dumping you in the water like that, Katherine." Ethan said as he passed. Gracie tugged on his arm, a pout on her face. "I'll be right there." He reassured her. She retreated a few feet away, hands on her hips.

Katherine shrugged, and finished tugging the white eyelet lace sundress over her matching, still wet swimsuit. "It was fun." She agreed, feeling a blush creep up her neck. It was hard to look him in the eye when he was shirtless. "But I will get you back." She was almost surprised to hear herself say something like that.

Ethan laughed and pulled his shirt over his torso. _Darn. _"Just don't do anything around my mom after she gets here tonight. She's been on edge since the attack. More so than usual, that is." He joked. Katherine smiled. r

"So I've been thinking." He continued. Katherine nodded expectantly. "I know you don't want anyone to call you Kat because of your sister….but maybe, well, could I call you Kate?"

_He wants to call me Kate…he wants a nickname for me… _Katherine could hardly process it. She pinched the edge of her dress to keep her disposition in check.

"I'd like that." She said, biting her lip to keep from grinning to wide.

"Great. Well, I gotta go. See you later?"

"At dinner, I suppose?" She suddenly hoped maybe he would ask her to dinner like he had with Michaela this morning.

"Yeah, my mom will be there or I would….well, never mind." For a moment, he reverted back to his old, shyer self, and the tips of his ears went red. "Well, bye…Kate."

Katherine giggled at the nickname. "Bye."

"Bye."

"You already said that."

"I know." Seemingly on impulse, he took her hand, and kissed it, before jogging off.

And she felt herself falling in love.

…

(Roughly one week later)

_ Lissa, _

_It's been quiet since you've left. I cannot deny that the money has been helping us greatly. I and Regan no longer have to work at the coal mine, we joined the company who cleans pools. The work is much safer, and it's fun. Plus, the Twos they work for enjoy knowing that our big sister is in the Selection. _

_When we saw news of the attack on the news, we were so scared for you. Bet that wasn't a very nice birthday present for you. It must be hard living at the palace after such devastation, but I'm sure you can manage. You can survive anything. _

_We miss you, Lis. Don't come home too soon, though. _

_Your brother, Adrian. _

Lissa smiled as she re-read the letter from her oldest younger brother. She sat down the letter on the bench besides her, and leaned back, enjoying the side garden off Trentworth. It was green and secluded, and she just needed to be alone.

She missed them too. Maybe it was time to go home. Was there much of a future here for her? She didn't love Ethan, and she was pretty sure he didn't love her. She loved Wesley, but they could never be together. He probably hated her now, anyway. He probably thought she didn't care about him, and the letter had probably gotten into the wrong hands and any day now, she would be canned—or worse.

She had managed to avoid the Queen for the week she had been here. They weren't allowed to go out to the beach anymore. The queen disapproved of her children running around like commoners so the same went to the Selected. They were allowed to go to the pool, but swimsuits were out. So the girls laced their sunburns into the delicate, airy light colored dresses everyone wore at Trentworth, and sat around bored all day. One of the living spaces on the first floor had been made into an unofficial "Woman's Room", so they either stayed there or in their rooms, or out on the terrace. Still, at night, after the queen retired, most of the other girls threw decorum to the wind and had mini parties downstairs. They usually started with a game of spoons or another card game. Sometimes, when they were tired, they would pile on the couches and watch movies, but other times, they went crazy. Last night, the twins had started tickling each other, which had turned into tag, which had turned into hide and seek on the first two floors.

Wesley was coming tomorrow. Lissa didn't know whether to be terrified, nervous, excited, or thrilled. Beyond anything, she missed him. She missed his goofy grin, and how his eyes lit up to see her, and the way her called her Lis. She missed his stupid jokes, the sound of his voice, and how fun it was to be with him.

With him, the King and Prince Andrew were coming. The queen had orchestrated a banquet and celebration for the occasion. Except, unlike the masquerade, no guests were coming. In fact, the whole country still thought they were at the palace, and Reports had been suspended for the time being for national security. They weren't allowed to tell anyone, not even their families. It was strange.

Lissa heard loud laughter and talking. She identified Sirena and Nat and maybe Rory. She really wasn't in the mood to be with anyone, let alone those girls. They were nice, but they had been pretty wild lately, whereas Lissa had retreated into herself and her sadness. She picked up her letter, and tucked it into the bodice of her cream lace colored dress, and slipped her sandals back on. She retreated into the estate, busy with her own thoughts. As she walked across the marble to the staircase, she realized no one was around. They must be trying to entertain themselves at the pool.

She looked up right before she began to climb the stairs, and saw the queen coming towards her. She cut an imposing figure, in a long-sleeves charcoal gray gown, her auburn hair swept up, and her stilettos clicking ominously on the steps. Lissa quickly averted her gaze, and stepped aside, curtsying. The queen continued her descent, stopping several steps from down.

"Lady Lissa." She acknowledges.

"Your Highness." She murmured again, and curtsied again for good measure.

"Ethan said you've been distant. Do you not please him?"

"I assure you, my queen, I have been doing all I can to please him." It was a blatant lie.

"Yes, I suppose you have….still, Wesley cares for you."

Lissa felt the familiar tightening in her chest and hope bubbled up in her heart. "I would not think you would allow your youngest son to pledge himself to someone in his brother's Selection."

The queen smiled a fake smile. "No. You're right. I would not. Do not give him hope where there is none." She stared past Lissa, and continued on her way.

…

**Oh yeah. Since I GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL I'll have more time to write. Hopefully these can start getting written regularly again. Although I've introduced so many elements to the plot and it'll take some time to untangle them…**

**Don't forget to review this time (so I don't freak out again…) and to check out and pin to and comment on the Pinterset page! And vote in the poll on my profile!**

**Also, did ya hear? Warner Bros bought the rights to make the Selection a movie! AHH!**

**-Shades**


	55. Walk Backwards

**The Story: SYOC stories. Tons of fun. Never finished. There's something pretty exciting about getting to work with completely new characters, and having an interactive aspect to the story. But it's really hard to get the character how the creator envisioned them, and not to hurt anyone's feelings. And most of them die after chapter one or two, or make it a little bit and then die. (Yes, I mean you guys. Update!) But they are still tons of fun!**

**Thank you **UltimateMaxmericaShipper, baaacooon, majestictales, pottergirl18, delovlies, 4Love4Love4, fairy not princess, **and **Smiley face (**btw, yes it is…I'm uncreative and obsessed) for reviewing! Wouldn't have done it without ya!**

**The next chapter will be in two parts because I don't know, it will be really long without it. I have half of the next chapter already written, but I realized it was getting lengthy, so I'm posting the first half!  
Also, because I have no life, and I'm stupid, I have all the gowns and hair on Pinterest on my board…judge me, and then go look at it!**

…

"That dress has enough gold on it to feed a family for a year." Adele heard a voice behind her. She huffed a sigh, and clenched her hands into fists. This was becoming a regular occurrence. As she would make her way down to the beach, or in this case, to the party in the gardens, Colin would intercept her.

"Must you always be so annoying?" She smiled sweetly, but then dropped the act and rolled her eyes.

"Must you always be so overdressed?" Colin fired back, rolling up his shirt sleeves and putting his hands on his hips.

Adele frowned. Her dress _was _pretty glitzy, but this was a formal event. It was a soft champagne colored silk, with golden beading crisscrossing the bodice and threading its way down the skirt. The back was pretty much open, the straps made of the gold beads, in a delicate design at the small of her back.

"Look, what do you want from me?" She demanded.

"Nothing. It's just pretty silly, this whole…_charade _you royals put on."

"I'm not a royal."

"But you could be. And you're living here."

"Look, are you some kind of a rebel? Because if you are-"

Colin laughed. "Not in the sense you're thinking of. I mean, I'm not part of the rebellion that attacked the palace. But I would consider myself a rebel of some sort. I have ideas…how the country should be run…how to improve things."

"So why do you always talk to me about it? Why not talk to the king?"

"I don't really know, I guess. Just seems like you forgot where you came from."

"And just what is that supposed to mean?" Adele accused, accidently mirroring his pose, putting her hands on her hips.

"May I speak bluntly?"

"Please do."

"Okay. You've become a shallow, little stuck-up brat, who doesn't care what happens as long as you get what you want, and can't take an insult, or even listen to people's ideas without judging them."

Adele gasped. "And you, sir, are annoying, irritating, pig-headed, infuriating, impossible, and I get a headache just by looking at you!" She fired back.

Colin just laughed. "You know, you'd make pretty good princess material if you actually cared about the people."

"You're wrong. I _do _care!"

"Really? When's the last time you did anything to help, then?"

Adele scoffed and crossed her arms. "I don't have to talk to you."

He laughed again. "I guess you don't. But I can sure as hell talk to you all I want."

"Not if I leave!" Adele sang out, turning to go. Colin grabbed her arm.

"Let go of me!" She demanded, slapping at his hand. He released her, chuckling.

"Look, if you really want to see what goes on outside the walls of the palace and away from the eyes of the royals, come with me, and I'll show you."

"Why would I do that?"

"To prove me wrong about how shallow you are."

"Fine." Adele tipped her chin into the air. "I'll come. Where?"

"Into town. After your little…soirée…meet me here at say, ten? And uh-" He gave her a once over. "Don't wear that. In fact, dress as cheaply as you can."

"I'll try." Adele rolled her eyes.

"It's a date, then." Colin said sarcastically.

"It's really not!" Adele retorted, before flouncing away.

...

The party was sure to be…nice. But that was all. Nothing compared to Lissa's whirlwind excitement of the masquerade. Of course, it wasn't a ball. It was just a little party. Aside from the Selected and the royal family, the only guests were a few guards and staff workers to serve as dance partners for the girls.

But Wesley was here.

Lissa hadn't seen him—yet. He had only arrived a few hours ago, and was resting in his room. But she had heard his voice. His room was also located on the second floor, with Ethan and Michelle, and she had heard him speaking to his mother as they went to his room.

As the girls bustled back and forth to each other's rooms, they had kept asking why she was suddenly so happy. Lissa had beamed, and said she was just excited for the party. But really, she was excited to see Wesley.

They were supposed to arrive before the royal family today. Lissa walked down the stairs with Gracie and Nicole. One of the things that the queen had told them all to do was to wear flowers in their hair. It was a tradition of some kind. The party was to be held in the gardens, off to the side of Trentworth, where flowers blossomed in full force. They had been given roughly two weeks to have a new dress made, since the staff here wasn't nearly as large as at the palace (though now that the royals were here, it was larger).

Lissa had gone with a cheerful yellow gown. The bodice and sleeves were made out of lace flowers of yellow, with some pink, purple, and blue sprinkled in. The skirt flared out to delicate yellow chiffon. She had chosen small yellow, white, and pink roses set at the back of her head, the rest of her hair in loose curls. Gracie had chosen to have her hair done in a soft, curled updo, tiny tendrils framing her face, with a delicate spray of tiny pink and white flowers like a crown around her head. It matched her whimsical dress, made of organza tulle, in alternating shades of light pink in white. Nicole had chosen a watercolor-esque printed gown, with a stiff corset bodice. The base shade was cream, with the illusion of water colored flowers in plum, magenta, with hints of blue and yellow. She wore her hair in curls on one side, with a flower arrangement of similar colors on a headband.

Gracie bubbled enthusiastically as they headed outside into the late afternoon sunshine. The side gardens and the terrace were set up, vases of flowers everywhere, with the banquet set up under a series of tents, the china glittering gaudily.

"Wow, it's gorgeous." Gracie said.

"It seems a little overdone for a small party. I guess that's just how royals are." Nicole put in. "I wish they could have showcased the natural beauty or something."

A snort came from behind them, and Mackenzie brushed by them in a figure hugging hot pink mermaid dress. "Because that's what's known as boring." She alleged. Cordelia sniffed disdainfully, parading her generous curves in a too tight, too fitted dark blue trumpet style gown, cap sleeves dangling on her shoulders. They swept by, eyeing everything and everyone judgmentally.

"Ugh, I hate that girl." Gracie sighed, glaring at her.

"I think we all do." Lissa affirmed. "I'm going to go get a drink." Really, she was too excited and nervous to just stand around until Wesley showed up. But no one needed to know that. She felt a little weird being around all the girls again. She had sort of been avoiding them lately. She took a glass of offered pink champagne, and took a sip, but the bubbles only increased her anxiety. She didn't know he would react to seeing her again, or what he believed about her anymore after the ordeal with the queen at the hospital wing.

After the last of the Selected girls arrived, the staff waited a few minutes before announcing the royal family. It seemed a lot of unnecessary pomp and circumstance, but Lissa supposed that's what the queen wanted. Prince Andrew and Princess Christine entered first, arm in arm. Andrew wore a tailored light gray suit, complementing his wife's light lavender gown, sprinkled with soft purplish-gray floral designs, a crown of white flowers at the back of her head.

Princess Michelle entered next, escorted by Ethan, in a black suit. Michelle's dress was sky blue satin, fitted close to her body, with an almost Grecian feel, adorned with chiffon crepe. A spray of miniature blue flowers crowned her swept up hair.

And then came Wesley. He walked in in front of his parents, and Lissa barely noticed them. He had that sheepish goofy smile on his face, his hands casually in his pockets, his walk jaunty, as if he had just pulled a prank or something. The same mousey brown hair and blue eyes. His face had a wane look, and he seemed to have lost some weight. He favored his left side ever so slightly, as a result from the bullet wound. But he was here.

She tried to catch his eye, but he didn't look at her. Lissa felt her spirits plummet. The queen hovered around Wesley, and Lissa was pretty sure it was so she couldn't talk to him. She was useless in conversation, so much so, that soon she found herself standing by herself, with a still full glass of champagne. Wesley was laughing with Andrew, the queen in a light conversation always nearby, currently with Mackenzie. She looked somewhat overdressed in the simpler party, with a white ball gown, studded with gold brocade dripping down the bodice, and although she had told the girls to, wore no flowers in her hair. It was some sort of power movement. She shot a glance across the room at Lissa. Lissa immediately averted her gaze, but knew the stakes were higher now. The queen was watching her.

She kept her head down through dinner. Once, she glanced up at Wesley, but he quickly looked away. Crushed, she went back to eating. This wasn't how she had eagerly anticipated their reunion. After the meal ended, the servants quickly cleared away the plates. Lissa knew she had to fix this soon. So when the musicians began to play, and King Jackson asked the queen to dance, Lissa slipped over to Wesley.

"I need to talk to you." She whispered, standing behind him.

His jaw tightened, and his arms stiffened. "Can it wait?"

"Please, Wes."

"My mother doesn't think I should see you."

"Can you meet me inside in two minutes?"

"I don't think so."

"Please, Wes. Trust me."

He sighed deeply. "Fine. I probably shouldn't. But I will." Unknowingly, he echoed her words spoken before meeting him in the gardens. When he had given her the necklace, almost kissed her, and an explosion had rocked the palace. Lissa nodded quickly, and slipped out of the gardens, and into the coolness of the palace, to an empty parlor overlooking the festivities where they could see if anyone was coming. Lissa watched Wesley make a quick excuse, and head inside. She traced the heavy curtain over the window, and couldn't help but stare as he approached. She took a deep breath, and tried to figure out what to say.

A moment later, he was there, the door closing roughly behind him.

"What do you need?" His voice was brusque, so unlike him.

"I just needed to speak to you." She squeaked out. "But you've been ignoring me all night."

"Aren't you here for my brother anyway?"

"That's not true, and you know it." Lissa defended. "Wesley, what did I do wrong? Why are you so mad at me?"

"I asked to see you, and you didn't come. Shows a lot of loyalty after I freaking saved your life."

"I tried!" Lissa exclaimed. "I waited for hours! And your mother-"

"She said she spoke to you personally, but you declined to come."

"Your mother lied to you!" Lissa bit at her lip, unexpected tears rising.

Wesley locked his jaw, and stood up taller. "May I remind you _Lady _Lissa that you speak about the queen of Illea."

"Wesley, I tried to see you. She came out and told me to stay away from you-"

"Why don't you take her advice?"

"Just let me finish!"

"I've heard enough." The disgust in his voice was evident. "I need to get back before anyone suspects anything."

"Wes, please!" Lissa begged.

"Don't call me that." He spat. "And leave me alone." He shook his head, and left, just as quickly as he had come. Lissa took a deep breath, and tried to be strong. A tear leaked out of her eye, but she quickly brushed it away. _I will _not _cry. There's no use in crying. _She waited a few minutes, before returning to the party, hoping if she was noticed, they would just think she had gone to the bathroom or something.

No one really noticed. Ethan was dancing with Michaela, resplendent in an off white, dropped waist gown, her hair in a beach-y braid, garnished with tiny white blossoms. Andrew danced with his wife, and most of the other girls had found a guard or a worker to dance with. But Queen Francesca sure noticed. She eyed Lissa as she stepped back under the tent. Lissa tried not to cry, but her words kept echoing in her ears. _Do not give him hope where there is none. _She watched him as he approached Mackenzie, of all people, and invited her to dance, although she was a good five inches taller than him in her heels. Lissa turned away, trying to regain her composure.

"You okay?" She felt someone place a cool hand on her arm. She looked up to see Amber, dressed in one of her funky creations, a white lace crop top flaring out to a mint skirt with cheerful white polka dots, her red hair crowned with a tiny spray of flowers, concern in her amber eyes.

"Yeah…just not feeling well." Lissa lied. Amber gave her a look, telling Lissa she knew that was a lie.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No. I think I'll go back to my room. Could you tell the queen I'm sorry, I was ill?"

"Of course." Amber patted her shoulder, and gave her a reassuring smile. Lissa fled, choking on her tears. She ended up back in the same parlor she had been in moments before. None of the maids were around, they were all helping with the party. Too distraught to make it to her room, Lissa collapsed on the couch in the room, and let the sobs come.

…

**Sorry to end on a depressing note, but it will get better, I promise! The next chapter is halfway done, and should be out soon! Check out the Pinterest page (link on my profile) or you can search "Selected Twins—A Selection Fanfic" Under "Boards" for a bunch of visuals for gowns and hair in this chapter!**

**And most importantly REVIEW! **

**And, if it applies to you, UPDATE!**

**-Shades**


	56. Look Up

**The Story: When you actually don't have writers block, but instead a writing bug, and you can get stuff done pretty quickly. Day-after update? Wow, I feel accomplished! (Oh, and you're welcome!)**

**I didn't give you guys much time to read and review, but thanks to **UltimateMaxmericaShipper, delovlies, baaacooon, 4Love4Love4, **and **the5SOS-YAfangirl (**x2). **

**Part Two of last chapter! Outfits are still on Pinterest!**

…

"I forgot how much I love parties. They make me feel so alive." Sirena said dramatically, throwing out her hands as she and Nat stopped dancing long enough to get a drink. "Except this one." Sirena added. She peeked over at the queen "This one kind of sucks."

"I think by the time Ethan dances with all of us, it'll be over. Gosh, this is getting boring. I feel like we can barely speak to the guards without getting in trouble!"

"I know!" Sirena tipped back a glass of the pink champagne served. It was the same color as her fitted light pink halter-top gown, with a key-hole bodice. The color probably should have clashed with her red locks, adorned with a large crown of pink flowers, but she could pull of anything. Even in red, Nat felt underwhelming next to her. Her dress was a light reddish damask, with a high neckline, and short sleeves, with tiny red crystal beading. Her hair, unlike Sirena's, was up, adorned with roses at the back of her head.

"You know, champagne is very fattening." Mackenzie commented, coming behind them, and purposely reaching for the pitcher of water. She gave Sirena a raised eyebrow look, before taking her water and moving on. Sirena, instead of looking mad, looked upset. She looked glumly at her drink, and set it back on the table.

"Hey, don't let her get to you. She did that on purpose." Nat said, trying to comfort her friend. She had been unusually touchy about eating and her weight lately. "She's just a jerk. I saw her drink champagne all night, but now she decides to go for water instead."

"Whatever. I just can't wait until she's sent home."

"Maybe you should try to get her to hit you so she has to!" Nat joked. The two girls laughed.

They watched the dancers for a while. As the song ended, Ethan, who had been dancing with Adele, bowed customarily to her. She curtsied back, glowing in the soft light of the tent, and in her gold dress. She said something to him, and they laughed, their faces close, hands grasped. He then kissed her cheek, and let go of her hands, before asking Amber to dance.

"Okay then!" Sirena exclaimed in mock surprise. "He must really like her."

"I bet Gracie won't like that too much."

"Hey, at least he's kissed both of them."

"Jealous?" Nat teased.

"Nah. I just haven't been kissed since I got here. It would kinda nice." Sirena shrugged.

"Yeah, I suppose…" Nat took a sip of champagne, thinking of Ben and wondering where he was. For her, kissing Ethan would not be nice.

"You've never kissed anyone, have you?" Sirena read into her reaction wrong.

"No! I have!" Nat said quickly.

"Really?" Sirena raised her eyebrows and wiggled them at Nat.

"Yes!"

"Then why did you get all bashful?"

"I don't know…just…I don't think Ethan and I would make a very good couple."

"Oh. You don't like him?"

"He's nice. I wouldn't mind him as a friend. Just not…like that." She gestured to Adele, who was speaking excitedly to Felicity.

"Yeah. I don't really know what to feel. Hey, look, he's dancing with Nicole!"

The two girls watched as Ethan led Nicole out to the rest of the partners, and they began their dance. Nicole was giggling nervously, and blushing.

"I haven't seen that much of her lately." Sirena remarked.

"She's been practicing her ballet with Princess Christine every chance she gets. She always gets like that when she doesn't want to face reality."

"What do you mean?"

"I think she's falling in love, but she won't admit it. And she doesn't want to hurt Gracie's feelings either."

They watched the two dance. Nicole was resplendent in her multi-colored dress, her hair long and curled. Nat marveled at how graceful her sister was when she was still getting used to wearing heels.

"You really think she loves him?" Sirena asked.

"She won't admit it, but I think she's falling for him."

The dance ended, and Ethan and Nicole politely parted ways. Ethan headed towards the two of them. Sirena elbowed her, and Nat quickly busied herself with the drinks behind her, hoping he would ask Sirena. He didn't.

"Lady Nat…would you care to dance?"

Nat smiled hesitantly, and glanced at Sirena, before taking his hand, and following him out to the dance floor. The music began, and Nat attempted to dance, though she had never been very good. She was clumsy, and stepped on Ethan's toes more than once.

"Sorry!" She exclaimed as it happened again. "I should leave the dancing to Nicole."

"It's fine. I'm afraid I'm not much of a dancer either. You look lovely, though." The last part came out somewhat forced, it seemed to Nat. She sighed. Maybe he should know the truth.

"Look, you don't have to do that."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know….just try to flirt with me. You have enough girls to worry about."

"I'm sorry, I don't understand."

Nat looked away, trying to find the right words. "I…think you should know something. I don't think I can ever, like, be in love with you." She found herself looking at him, trying to gauge his response.

He looked…relived.

"Am I that repulsive?" She joked.

"No, sorry. I was just kind of thinking the same thing. I mean, you're a great girl, but-"

"It's okay. I totally get it."

They tried to dance for a few awkward moments, before Ethan spoke again. "So, do you want me to send you home then? Because I was thinking…maybe you could, I don't know, help me out?"

"Like, an inside job? Help you figure out which one of these girls is potential wife material?"

"Yeah. I mean, no one knows them better than you do."

"Except maybe Sophia." Nat reminded him, glad the etiquette mistress was still overseeing reconstruction in the palace. Ethan shuddered.

"No. Not her." He smiled.

"Well, then I guess I'm your girl. And I can tell you one thing right away. Cordelia's only here for the food." She nodded to where the plump brunette was getting yet another helping of dessert at the chocolate fountain. "She doesn't even want to be queen." They laughed.

"Except she's a Two, so I can't send her home right away. Not without my dad loosing it."

"It's not his wife." Nat reminded him. "So, _friend, _what do you think of my sister? Could you love her?"

"I think I could learn too." He said, his ears turning red. Nat giggled.

"I think you could to. Another reason I'd like to stay is for her. She needs me. I think she's falling in love with you, and you're in love with Gracie and Adele and-"

"I'm not in love with…anyone. Not yet. And Gracie's just a friend."

"Like me? Only you kissed her?"

"No…I don't know…." He stumbled over a response.

Nat decided to change the subject. "Well, as first order of buddy-advisor-inside-spy, Katherine is all by herself over there." She pointed outside the tent, to where the brunette was sitting on the stone bench on the path to the beach, by herself. The music ended, and Nat curtsied, before giving him a little shove. "Go on! You gave me authority to do this!" She walked back over to Sirena.

"What was that all about?"

"Let's just say I gave him a pep talk. And told him I was madly in love with him just for kicks."

"You did not!" Sirena gasped.

"You're right, I didn't."

Sirena swatted her on the arm. "Oh, you!"

"Well, this is boring." Nat leaned against the table.

"We could spruce it up a little." Sirena sat down her glass. "Show these folks waltzing isn't the only form on dance?"

"You're on!"

…

Katherine watched the sun sink low in the sky, picturesque over the ocean. Annaliese would have loved it here. The ocean, the party, the people…but she was gone. Sometimes, Katherine would turn, thinking her sister would be right there, and then she remembered she had died in a plane crash. She blinked back tears, wishing she could just be okay. Annaliese would have been having the time of her life right now. But Katherine just wanted to be alone. She tried to stop crying, but once she had gotten started, it was hard.

She had loved the dress she had designed for tonight. Blush pink chiffon, short sleeves, long, flowing skirt, with lace running all over it. Her hair was swept up, adorned with pale pink roses. But she had caught a glimpse of herself in the tray of champagne glasses a servant had been carrying around.

She looked like her sister.

Sometimes, it seemed that they had heard the news years ago. Sometimes it seemed like only yesterday. But it still hurt. She sniffed, and patted her hair. She needed to go back before someone noticed.

Soft footsteps on the grass made her realize it was too late. It was Ethan.

"Thought you could use some company out here all by yourself." He said. Katherine wiped at her eyes quickly.

"Sorry, I just wanted to be alone for a moment." Katherine smiled, and quickly turned away. "Being around people just wears me out!" She tried to laugh, but crossed her arms tightly over her chest to lock in her emotions. She felt Ethan's hand brush over her shoulder.

"Are you okay?" He asked softly.

"Yeah, there's just something in my eye." Katherine tried to make an excuse, but her voice started wavering.

"Let me see."

"No, it's okay." Katherine tried to turn again, brushing the tears away.

"You're crying." He pointed out, his hand finding hers.

"I noticed." She said, a hint of bitterness in her voice. "It's nothing really."

"Kate…" He murmured. At the use of her nickname, even though he'd been using it for a week now, pushed her over the edge. She buried her face in her hands, unable to keep the sobs in.

"Sorry." She squeaked out, as he wrapped his arms around her, and drew her close. After a minute, her shoulders stopped shaking. She sniffed, and wiped her nose. "We seem to do that a lot." She pulled away, and gave him an embarrassed, watery smile.

"I don't mind."

"My sister used to tell me 'One day, someone is going to hold you so tight that all your broken pieces are going to fit back together'. And whenever she hugged me, I felt that way."

"Guess I must make a pretty poor substitute." Ethan smirked.

"No, actually you were pretty good. I just saw myself in a reflection…and I looked like her. It just hurt."

Ethan slipped his arm over her shoulders, and she leaned her head on chest impulsively.

"We used to be like that." She gestured to where Nat and Nicole were swinging around in a circle, laughing hysterically, the stately waltzing commandeered, one of the fiddlers playing wildly. "I feel like I should have gotten over it, and put it behind me, and then I remember." She sighed heavily, and Ethan kissed the top of her hair gently.

"I don't think you have to put it behind you." He told her. "Don't try to forget her, or what happened."

"I never thought about it that way." Katherine admitted. They sat in companionable silence for a few moments.

"We should probably get back to the party before the other girls get jealous." Katherine lifted her head up, and looked up at him, surprised to see just how close they were.

"Yeah…" He murmured, one side of his mouth twitching into a smile. "Just not yet, Kate." His fingers traced over her cheek as if she were made of porcelain. Katherine's heart skipped a beat, and she sucked in a sharp intake of breath before he kissed her. Their lips met, and for the first time in her life, Katherine felt beautiful. She had never considered herself to be any more than plain before, but in that moment, she felt like a goddess.  
Ethan pulled back ever so slightly. "Sorry." He murmured.

"Don't be." This time, Katherine kissed him, and it was longer than the first one. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and his hands ended up on her waist. Katherine forgot her sadness, she forget the stress of this whole ordeal, and she forgot her confused feelings. She'd always thought her first kiss would be the most complicated moment of her life. Annaliese always told her "when you're kissing the right person, you'll know." And this felt so right. She pulled away, only when she realized all of the other girls could probably see them. She cast a nervous glance over her shoulder, but they were absorbed with their own fun.

"I just kissed you." She blurted out.

"So I noticed." Ethan grinned at her. They stood up from the bench. Katherine smoothed her hair, and Ethan grabbed her hand. "Ready to rejoin the party?"

Katherine sighed dramatically. "If we must." She giggled, and they walked back.

"Care to dance?"

…

Gracie sighed, smoothing out her dress. She watched as Ethan and Katherine rejoined the party, hand in hand, smiling and laughing.

He had kissed her.

She hadn't thought it polite to watch, but had seen what had transpired. And it had been a whole lot longer than the mere peck he had given her. She swirled the contents of her glass around, watching them dance together.

"I would give anything to know what they were saying." She heard Cordelia say behind her. "He and Nat looked so cozy."

"I heard every word." Mackenzie's voice.

"Tell me!"

"Well, Nat accused him of being in love with Gracie, and he said 'Why would I ever be in love with her? She's an annoying ditz who is way too young for me. I was going to send her home after she wore that dress, but I felt bad her.'"

Gracie didn't wait to hear the rest of the story or Cordelia's response. She set down her glass, and retreated from the party before anyone saw her cry. She lifted up the heavy layers of tulle making up her white to pink ombre skirt, and tried to walk at a dignified pace. She doubted half of what Mackenzie had said was true, since she was standing so close to them, the cruel girl had probably twisted his words around somehow. Still, the words had stabbed her, and realization had come through. She opened one of the side doors, leading off the garden, and opened the closest door, to a small parlor.

There, she found Lissa, curled up on the couch in the room, her eyes red and tear-stained.

"Oh. Gracie. I didn't know anyone else would be here."

"Sorry." Gracie blubbered, "I just needed to be myself."

"You and me both. What's wrong?" Lissa sat up, her voice strained from an earlier cry, and patted the seat next to her.

"It's just…I realized that…I'm not the only girl here that has a chance. I might not even have a chance at all. I know he kissed Adele, but that was a while ago. And he just kissed Katherine. And she would make such a great princess. She's sweet and perfect, but she's mature, and they are both so suited to each other…" Gracie burst into tears again. "I hate being so jealous of everyone all the time!"

Lissa said nothing, just patted Gracie's back while she cried.

"Boys are so hard to understand." Gracie tried to joke after a while. She looked at Lissa, as if realizing she was just now here. "Why are you here?"

"A misunderstanding."

"With Ethan?"

"No…."

"Oh…then, Wesley?"

Lissa looked uncomfortable. "How'd you figure that one out?"

"Just the way you two looked at each other on your birthday at the masquerade. What happened?"

"I don't really want to go into the details. Let's just say, I'm probably headed home soon." Lissa wiped her nose, and Gracie swung her arm over Lissa's shoulders, and the girls hugged.

"This is a lot more complicated than I thought. I thought it would just be like a fairytale." Gracie admitted.

"I think, in a lot of ways, it's bigger than a fairytale." Lissa suggested. "A lot harder too. No prince to do all the work."

"It's a minefield." Gracie agreed. "I think, this whole time, I've set myself up to win. Without a doubt, it was going to be me. I just realized that there are 15 other girls here competing."

"Not me."

"Okay, 14." Gracie smiled. "And whatever happened between you and Wesley, I hope it works out."

"Yeah. Me too." Lissa fidgeted with the pink necklace she always wore. "Want to go back?"

"I guess we should." Gracie checked her makeup in the mirror on the wall.

At least she had one friend she didn't have to fight with.

…

**Not much to say, just review please! **

**-Shades**


	57. Something to Believe In

**The Story: When you get poison ivy on your lips from kissing your goats…farm problems…**

**Anyway: **UltimateMaxmericaShipper, the5SOS-YAfangirl, 4Love4Love4, Smiley face, the-ravenclaw-phangirl, baaacooon, Anegrieg, majestictales, delovlies **and **rachelsoccerchica **you are awesome for reviewing! Thank you so much!**

**This chapter ended up being a lot longer and plot heavy in the second half then I intended, but hopefully it turned out interesting! Enjoy!**

…

Lissa lay on her side, watching the nighttime sea breeze ripple the chiffon curtains over the French doors and windows. She couldn't even cry anymore. It was over. Wesley hated her, Ethan could care less, the Queen wanted her gone…it was only a matter of time before she was sent home.

She would miss it. The friends she had made, the beautiful dresses, the fun, the learning, and the sheer grandeur of it all. She would be a Three now, not a Seven. No more burlesque dancing, and hating herself. In a few years, she would watch Wesley fall in love and marry another girl when it came time for his Selection. Maybe she would find someone of her own. She threw back the soft covers of the bed, and sighed.

The door opened.

Lissa sat up quickly, startled. It was probably just one of her friends, though. It wasn't.

"Oh, Lis. I'm so sorry." Before she quite realized what was happening, Wesley was next to her, and hugging her so tightly she could scarcely breathe. "I'm sorry for saying those awful things. Will you ever forgive me?" He whispered into her hair.

"You mean you don't hate me?" It was the first thing that came to mind. Wesley let go, and held her at arm's length.

"Of course not. You should hate me."

"I never hated you. Nothing you could say or do will make me love you less." Lissa smiled. Wesley grinned, and flopped back on her bed in relief.

"So you forgive me?"

"There's nothing to forgive. Why the change of heart?" Lissa curled up next to him.

"I was talking to my mother in her room before I went to bed. I found your letter on her desk, and took it. I believe you. You wouldn't have just deserted me like that." Wesley snuggled closer to her, reminding Lissa of a puppy. She giggled. "And I knew it all along. I kept telling myself you didn't come, but I knew you would have, unless you physically could not."

"I was so worried. I missed you so much."

"I missed you too." He nuzzled the skin just below her ear. "I was mad, and I told myself it was just the medication. But I missed you all the same."

"How is your wound?"

"Sore, but it's mostly healed. Thanks to you." He poked her in the ribs, and Lissa twisted away giggling.

"Don't!" She teased. "We'll get caught!"

"Hey, can I ask you something?"

"Anything."

"Do you wanna go down to the beach with me?" Wesley looked slightly sheepish.

"Now?" Lissa suddenly realized she was wearing only her nightgown.

"It's just…I haven't been down there yet. And I really, really, really, really, really-"

"Fine, I'll go! I won't be able to sleep now anyway!" She jumped to her feet, in search of some sandals.

"Awesome!" Wesley grabbed her hand, and pulled her out on the balcony.

"Wait, my shoes!" Lissa called softly. He held one finger over his lips, a signal to be quiet. They ran down to the stairs at one end, and tip-toed down.

"Do you really need shoes?" He questioned. Lissa shook her head, trying to laugh without making too much noise. They ran down the path through the gardens to the beach, their laughter growing as they got further and further away.

"Ahhh! Finally!" Wesley spread his arms wide, and then on a second thought, grabbed Lissa and swung her around.

"When's the last time you were here?" She asked when he put her down.

"I think right before Andrew's Selection. C'mon!" He grabbed her hand again, and they ran through the shallow water, the waves flowing in and out at their feet. They didn't go too far, since it was nighttime, and who knows what could be lurking under the surface.

"This is so insane!" Lissa cried.

"I know. I don't want easy. I want crazy. Hey, I didn't get to dance with you tonight."

"Yeah, you danced with Mackenzie, though." Lissa scowled.

"I was trying to make you jealous." He held out his hand.

"You sure did a good job of it!" She gave in, and took his hand. He steered her over the sand in a haphazard, energy filled gallop of a waltz, until they both lost their footing, and ended up on their backs in the sand, laughing like hyenas.

"You know…I hardly ever saw stars back home." Lissa mused after they quieted down. "We lived in the capitol of Tammins, and there were so many factories, and so many lights and smog, you could only see them if it rained really hard in the middle of the night. I remember one time, I was walking home from the club, and…" Lissa trialed off, suddenly realizing she hadn't really talked to Wesley about her past. She was embarrassed to speak about it.

"What?" He asked, turning his head towards her.

"Nothing."

"Finish your story."

Lissa didn't need any more encouragement than the look in his eyes. No matter what she told him, he wouldn't care. "Well, I was so scared, because a bunch of the streetlights were out, and it had been raining, and this man kept cat-calling and whistling as I went by. And then, when I got home, I was about to unlock the door, when I looked up, I saw the stars. The rain had cleared the air, and it was beautiful."

Wesley reached for her hand, and squeezed it. "How are you so strong?"

"Huh?"

"You're a Seven. Life can't have been easy for you. And yet, you have a heart of gold. It's one of the things I love about you."

"I love that you never look down on me for where I can from." Lissa told him. "I wish…I wish this didn't have to end. You know, eventually, I'm going home. Or marrying your brother, I suppose."

"Or I might leave."

"What?" Lissa sat up quickly.

"You know, most secondary princes get shipped off to join the army. The only reason Ethan and I haven't is because my father was the second son, and he became king when his brother died. He's worried the same could happen again, so he keep us close. But let's not talk about that." Wesley stood up, helping Lissa to her feet. "Tonight, the world is full of stars." He grabbed her hand, and spun her around, before leaning his forehead against hers. "You ever kissed anyone?" He asked, his voice low and husky.

Lissa grinned. "No…" She closed her eyes, waiting.

"Good. I want mine to the first." He leaned back, and just hugged her instead. "But I think we should wait."

"Why?" Lissa was mildly disappointed.

"I still feel like a jerk. And it won't be as special if we don't wait." He ran a hand through his hair. "And we should probably be getting back anyway."

Lissa let her shoulder's slump. "Yeah."

"But thanks. For everything."

"What do you mean?"

"You make me feel alive." Wesley looped his arm over her shoulders.

"Well, you make me feel beautiful. And…well, I've never really felt that way before. When I'm around you, I feel like…like a lady."

"I'm sorry I had to go and fall in love with you. We're never going to make this work, are we?"

Lissa sighed deeply. "Wes…we'll make it work. And you don't have to apologize. Love isn't something you can decide. It's something spontaneous and reckless. Love doesn't care about what you think or that it's the wrong prince or a girl completely taboo. Love blooms even if you don't want it too."

…

Adele had changed quickly, since the party had ended much later thanks to Nat and Sirena's commandeering. She unpinned her curls, and fluffed them out and slipped off the flower. While Colin had told her not to dress up, she didn't really have anything cheap lying around. So she had donned the casual short sleeved blouse and light green polka dotted crepe knee length skirt, which she had worn during the car ride here almost a month ago, she realized. She had tried to find some suitable shoes, but all she could find was heels. Even her sandals. She ended up in the lowest pair she could find, taupe colored tee strap ones. The night was a little cool, so she wore a small cream wrap of light fabric. More for decoration, really, but better than nothing.

Now, the only problem before was getting out. Most of the girls were still up, so walking down the balcony to the stairs wasn't really an option. Neither was going down to the front door. It was a few minutes after ten already, so she decided there was only one thing for it. She locked her door leading to the central hall that all their rooms faced, and closed her windows, before tentatively stepping out onto the balcony, hoping no one saw her. She spotted Colin, lurking in the shadows of the now empty garden, and climbed up on the railing of the balcony.

This was going to be difficult. She swung her legs over, still clutching the railing. She carefully lowered herself, wishing she had at least one pair of flat shoes to wear as she struggled to find footholds. Once the wall met the terrace, she knew she was going to have to jump. Hoping no one was on the terrace, she dropped. It was only about four or five feet, but she still landed on her backside. Her cheeks burned as she heard Colin's quiet chuckle. She quickly stood up, brushing herself off.

"It's rude to laugh at a lady." She pointed out in a heated whisper.

"You're late."

"Sor-ry!" Adele rolled her eyes. "Anyway, how are we getting there?"

"We're walking." Colin whispered. He eyes her shoes. "Might want to take those off. It's almost two miles."

"Are you kidding me?" Adele really wanted to yell, but now was not the time. "I'm out." She threw her hands in the air, and spun around.

"I knew you didn't have it in you." The retort burned. Setting her jaw, Adele turned back around.

"I changed my mind, you jerk. Let's get moving."

Like Colin said, the walk was long. The road was nothing more than a dirt path, probably only used by servants and the like coming to and from the palace. Adele kept to herself, already seething and a little hurt. She would prove that she wasn't weak like he thought. Besides, he probably made this trek every day, and twice at that. Still, she wasn't looking forward to the walk home, and was glad when she saw the murky lights of the town appear ahead on the unpopulated road.

"So where exactly are we going? And what are doing?"

"Hadn't really thought that one through." Colin admitted. He glanced at her. "I thought I told you to dress cheaply."

"I tried. I'm the Selection, smart one. There isn't exactly access to rags for me."  
"Whatever." Colin scoffed. Adele rolled her eyes and they continued their approach.

"Is this really where you live?" She asked as they approached.

Colin shrugged. "Not much like Trentworth, huh?" He seemed embarrassed. Adele didn't say anything. As a Five, she hadn't grown up in the lap of luxury. But neither had they been poor. Her parents had both been sought after, and although they had all worked hard, they were never poor. And Adele had been on tour for the last few years, and that was well furnished and gave her a steady stream of income.

It was nothing like this.

Like Trentworth, the town was set close to the ocean. A series of rotting docks housed a fishing boats at the end. The city was essentially composed around an intersection of the dirt road they were walking on, and a once paved road that interested it going toward the beach. It branched off into alleys and it seemed to Adele, that the buildings grew towards the center. It was night, and there weren't many people about. Florescent lights came from some houses, but many were boarded up. The ones closest to the beach were basically just shacks, like a gust of wind could knock them over. Some built further back were on stilts, to protect from the tide. The houses closer in were packed tightly, made of crumbling brick, some windows filled with golden light, others dark and foreboding. Rusted cars were parked on the streets, most looking un-drivable. Weeds spilled over lawns and into the streets. Some places were paved, or at least gravel, the chance increasing as they drew further into the heart of the city.

Here, she began to notice sputtering streetlamps, and laundry drying on lines, as well as apartment buildings and people. A car drove by them slowly, the engine rattling terribly. As they rounded a street corner, they passed a girl, standing just out of reach of the light from a lamppost, a cigarette dangling from her lips. She couldn't have been any older than Adele herself, but she could tell by her short dress and high heels and makeup, she was probably a prostitute. Impulsively, she stepped closer to Colin. The stores they passed were largely empty, except a solitary liquor store, grocery store, and a single bar, all clumped together. Adele saw a few people inside.

Colin turned off the main road, and onto a darkened side street. Most of the houses here were boarded up. One of them appeared to have burned down in the past, leaving only a shell. Many of them had smashed windows and missing front doors. A few cats disappeared just as Adele caught sight of them. Trash was everywhere.

Still, one of the houses seemed occupied. The warm light spilling out of its windows heartened Adele. She felt her spirts lift as they walked across the front lawn, mostly dirt with a few weeds for color.

"Home sweet home." Colin muttered as they climbed the few steps to the screen porch, which was largely devoid of anything.

"Are we going inside?" Adele was suddenly nervous.

Colin looked at her like she was an idiot. "Unless you have something else in mind, princess."

Her cheeks burned as she followed him into the house.

"I'm home." He called. Adele could hear people talking in the back of the house, and a radio playing, as well as a sink running and someone doing dishes. There wasn't much furniture, and most of the side rooms were dark. Still, it seemed a bit like home. Colin led her to the back of the house, to a brightly lit kitchen. An elderly woman and a girl who seemed to be fifteen or so sat at the small kitchen table, and a young woman, who seemed a couple years older than Colin, was doing dishes at the sink behind them. A little boy, maybe eleven, sat by the radio perched above the stove, a stuffed dog in his hand. He was pale, with dark circles under his eyes, one of his legs sticking out at an awkward angle. He wasn't playing with the dog, just sort of…sitting.

"Colin! What took you so long?" The woman at the sink said, turning off the water, wiping her hands nervously on her skirt. She eyed Adele apprehensively, her eyes surveying her outfit carefully.

"What, no I'm glad to see you?" Colin fired back, in his usual irritating manner. The dark haired girl looked nothing like him, and for a moment, Adele wondered if she was his wife. He bent to kiss the old woman's cheek. "Sorry I'm later than usual, Mom." He said.

"It's no trouble." The woman replied. "Who did you bring with you? She looks too plump to be one of the servants."

Adele bit her tongue. _I am not plump! _But then she noticed how gaunt the four of them were, and realized that most of the servants at Trentworth looked the same way. No, she wasn't fat compared to the rest of the Selected, but to them, she was…healthy.

"This is Adele." Colin said. "I convinced her to come see what the real world is like."

At this, the younger girl sitting at the table perked up. She had the same mousy brown hair as Colin, although she lacked the irritating disposition. "Are you in the Selection?" She asked, eyes wide.

"Colin told us they've been staying in Trentworth." The older girl said. Adele glanced at him, expecting him to tell them, but he just looked at her.

"Oh, uh yes. Yes, I'm part of the Selection. It's lovely to meet you." She didn't know how to act around these people. And she didn't think anyone was supposed to know where they were staying. She offered a hesitant smile.

"I didn't think anyone would want to come to see this dump." The older girl said. "Or the people that live here."

"Oh. Well, uh, he convinced me to." Adele knew it sounded lame, but she didn't know what else to say. _I decided to prove him wrong and show him I care even if I didn't before now?_

"Are you supposed to be here?" The little girl asked.

"Not…officially?" Adele struggled for the right words. She snuck a glance at Colin, who just smirked at her in the most annoying manner.

"Stop peppering her with questions and let the poor girl sit for a moment." Colin's mother said. "She must have walked here. And in those shoes."

Blushing, Adele took the offered seat, sitting right on the edge.

"I'm Colin's mother, dear." The old woman reminded Adele of nothing like her own mother. She seemed much older, maybe old enough to be a grandmother, and had seen so many more hardships. "Mrs. Evans."

"So how'd you meet a servant like him?" The older girl said, a tone of bitterness in her voice.

"Adele, this is Viola." Colin spoke up, motioning to her. She tipped her chin in the air slightly. "She was married to my brother. Before he died."

"Drafted by the army and never came home again." Viola shrugged, trying to seem indifferent about the whole thing. "King Jackson sends them off without any regard. He cares nothing for us."

"Viola, enough." Mrs. Evans cautioned. For a moment, Adele thought she might be in a household of rebels.

"Why? Your husband was killed there too. Aren't you angry?" Viola shot back. "Just so girls like her can come to be pampered in the palace as a wife for the prince? And when did the expendable princes stop serving their country? This whole monarchy is corrupt!" Viola's face was tinged with red now. She balled up her fists.

Adele wanted to be anywhere but here, anyone but one of the Selected.

"They have such ideas these days, these two." Mrs. Evans sighed, nodding to Colin and Viola. "These are my youngest. Eleanor-" She motioned to the girl. "and Jack." She nodded to the boy, who had yet to say anything, and just sat gawking at Adele. She wanted to ask what happened to him, but that seemed rude.

"Polio." Colin seemed to have read her mind. Adele felt something in her heart crack. This little boy was too weak to even play with his stuffed dog. All he could do was sit there.

"Speaking of them, it's time you were off to bed." Mrs. Evans said. Eleanor stuck out her lower lip in a pout, but didn't say anything. Viola followed her, wordlessly. Colin went to Jack, and said something too quiet for Adele to hear. The little boy smiled rather listlessly. She watched Colin pick him up, and then settled with the little boy on his lap so he could untie his worn-out boots for him. Colin kept up a mostly one sided monologue, and Jack smiled from time to time. Finally, he laughed a little. Colin grinned, and ruffled the little boy's hair, before carrying him out of the room. Adele watched them go.

"He does that every night." Mrs. Evans remarked, startling Adele out of her reverie.

"I've never seen him act like that." She admitted.

"You spend a lot of time with him?"

"Well, no…not really. I've run into him a lot."

"He's trying to change the world. He had all these ideas, and he wears himself out trying to make things better. Here, at Trentworth, at home. He can't stand to watch anyone suffer."

Just then, Colin, reappeared. He leaned against the doorframe of the kitchen. "So, Adele. Ready to see what a real party is?"

"What do you mean? I thought-"

"That I dragged you all the way here to meet my family? No, c'mon." He grabbed her hand, and tugged her out of her chair, and through the kitchen.

"You could go a little slower!" Adele exclaimed when she tripped over the front steps.

"Sorry, princess." He bowed sarcastically. He seemed bothered. He kept walking.

"Where are we going, anyway?" She asked, struggling to keep up. "And why did you seem in such a hurry to get out of there."

"One of Viola's friends just got engaged. She told me so. They're celebrating in the square."

"And? You didn't answer my other question."

Colin stopped walking. "I don't like being there, okay? It's hard to see it and know I can't do anything about it. Happy?" He scowled, and kept walking.

"You don't have to get so mad, you know. You're the one who made me come." Adele called to his retreating figure.

"You're the one who agreed to."

"You don't have carry the whole world on your shoulders either."

"And if I don't, who will?" Colin spun around, walking backwards. "You? The king? Prince Ethan? Viola's right. The king doesn't do anything to help us. We live two miles from his seaside resort, and my brother and my dad both died in his little battles, and he doesn't care to do crap to help us." Colin threw his hands into the air. "Well he ain't gonna do that to me." Colin stopped walking, and glared off into the dark alleyway.

"But you work in Trentworth. Everyone wants to work there."

"Not me. I'm only doing it for the money. Get me far away, where the air is clean, and there are no castes, and no one to send us off to war. Somewhere where my little brother isn't too sick to laugh, and can play and breathe clean air, and doesn't have to limp around. Where my brother is still alive, and Viola can be happy, and Eleanor doesn't have to work so hard because Jack can't and we need money…"

Colin trailed off, his shoulders slumping in defeat. "You see, Adele? I have to try to do something, because no one else will. Even if I know nothing will make much of a difference." He jerked his thumb over his shoulder. "The palace is back that way. I'll see you tomorrow." He stalked off down the street.

"Hey! Colin, wait! Wait!" Adele scurried after him. "Will you slow down?"

"What do you want?" Colin tossed over his shoulder.

"I need to tell you something. I know you think that no matter how hard you work, that nothing will change, but with all I've seen tonight, I see there's a whole new world out there I didn't even know about. And I believe you can change it. You've given me something to believe in."

Colin paused in his flight, and turned slowly. "Something to believe in…" he repeated. A hint of a smile appeared on his face. "For sure?"

"Yeah. For sure." Adele nodded. "Now are you going to show me how to really party, or are you going to make me walk home by myself?"

Colin smirked, in that grating, irksome manner. "Let's go. I hope you know how to drink."

…

**So I'll probably finish this in the next update because I'm just like that…**

**In other news, I've plotted out most of the rest of the story…I'm a little sad about that, to be honest! Still have to decide who wins though…it's going to be crazy! **

**Don't forget to review! And shoutout to **4Love4Love4, the5SOS-YAfangirl **and **Demigod-Gallagher-Selected **for updating their long hiatused stories! You all rock!**

**-Shades**


	58. If You Aint With Me

**The Story: Sometimes real me sees internet me and I'm just like…what who is this idiot. She uses exclamation points literally in every single sentence on every single comment, she posts the dumbest stuff, and now she's becoming a fansie. I can't.**

**Thanks to my loyal bunch of reviewers! **UltimateMaxmericaShipper, the5SOS-YAfangirl, delovlies, majestictales **and **4Love4Love4**! Love ya'll!**

**Also, I forgot to mention this last chapter, but the last thing Lissa said last chapter was actually written by **the5SOS-YAfangirl **not me! Thanks!**

**Picks up right where last one picked up.**

…

The party was by far, much different than the one at Trentworth. Instead of the Selected, there were throngs of people—young, old, it didn't make much difference. There was a radio instead of a musician, cranked up. Someone lit a fire in a grate, and they all were dancing in the street. Instead of fancy pink dyed champagne, there was beer. No fancy banquet meal, no fancy gowns and flower arrangements, just a bunch of people having fun.

Colin disappeared almost as soon as they arrived, leaving Adele alone. Still, she was content to observe this new way of living. It was so different. No etiquette, no reserve, no one caring what they looked like. It was quite refreshing. She felt a bit out of place in her nice skirt and blouse, and she was a little nervous about being discovered. She spotted a few familiar faces of other workers from Trentworth. They seemed so different. The maids weren't rigid and silent, but laughing and flirting with men, who did it right back.

"There you are! What are you doing, sulking?" Colin surprised her, his eyes bright and his grin actually not annoying for once.

"No, I just don't know anyone and-"

"Cut the excuses, princess. I didn't bring you here to sit around." He grabbed two cans of beer out of a nearby cooler and planted one in her hand. "Drink up." He popped the top of his, and guzzled it down. "Sorry we ain't got no champagne for you."

"I don't need champagne." She followed his actions. "And stop calling me princess." She took another drink. "It's so irritating."

"A bit like you?"

"Hey, I thought we were friends now. Do you have to insult me?" She finished off the can, seeing he had done the same.

"No, but you do have to dance." He grabbed her hand, and pulled her to her feet.

"Hey! I don't know anyone here, I-"

"If you want me to stop calling you princess you have to stop acting like one. C'mon." He pulled her into the throng of dancers, keeping a tight grip on her hand. He put one hand at her waist, and began steering her haphazardly around with the others. Adele had to laugh at his antics. He was so different from Ethan. Ethan was nice. He was polite and sweet and quiet. Colin was annoying, boisterous and passionate about others.

But here, for a moment, Adele let herself forget about Ethan. She wasn't in the Selection. She was just her. She lost count of the songs they danced, the beers she drank, and even half of the stuff she did. Colin was a lot easier to dance with than Ethan. He didn't try to make awkward conversation, and didn't apologize whenever he messed up. Sometimes he would hand her off to one his friends, and go dance with another girl. It wasn't long before she forgot she wasn't one of them and was in full party mood.

"You call this dancing? This is just stuff we did at Trentworth!" She exclaimed as she and Colin whirled around and around. "Let me show you how it's done." She stopped, stepped up on a chair, and executed a quick tap routine from her days of show business.

Colin looked at her like she had two heads. "How did ya even do that?" He most certainly drunk now.

"I was a Five, you remember? I'm not just a 'princess' in training."

"Show me what you got, then."

Adele giggled, and then couldn't stop. She was most certainly drunk too. "I'm not sure what that's supposed to mean, _sir._"

"It means do that thing again."

Without waiting for more urging, Adele kicked her leg into the air, and began a time step on the chair, when she lost her balance, and ended up falling on Colin, with a shriek.

"Maybe not right now." She laughed as they got to their feet. "I don't know what my feet are doing up on that chair."

"I know what they're doing now. Or at least what they need to be doing. Let's dance!" Colin was about to pull her back over to the rest of the dancers when someone grabbed his shoulder and turned him around. He was tall, with dark curly hair, looking vaguely familiar.

"Are you responsible for bringing Lady Adele here?" He asked in a hushed, worried tone."

"Yeah. What's wrong?" His cheerfulness forgotten, he was now all serious.

"You need to get her back. Trust me. Something might happen."

"Now?"

"Now."

Colin turned to her. "Alright. Let's go. Thanks." He said to the man, before heading back to where they came in to the town. Adele had to hurry to keep up.

"Who was that?"

"I dunno. I've seen him around town only recently."

"He's not a guard or anything, is he?"

"No…I don't know. But I think he knew what he was doing."

Gradually, they left the city behind, and soon it was just the two of them on the same footpath. Adele found herself telling him about growing up and touring in the cast around Illea. She was so drunk, she didn't know half of what she was saying. She told him about Ethan, and their kiss, and all about the other girls.

"So what about you? What's your story?" She finally said.

"Aw, you know. The usual."

"Hey, I just practically told you my freaking biography, and that's all I get?"

"I took you to my house. Didn't you learn enough?"

"You're getting all touchy again."

"Okay, okay, whatever." They walked in silence for a while. "Well, we've always been poor. It was me and my older brother and Eleanor and Jack. He was born with polio. He can't walk by himself because of it. My dad was drafted for the army when I was young, and he never came back. My brother married Viola, and then the same thing happened to him. Only reason I haven't been called is 'cause I work at Trentworth."

"So you're not, like, dating any one?"

"Me? Nah."

"So no one's going to get mad over you and me walking in the moonlight in the middle of the night?"

"I got no use for moonlight. And I'm just escorting you home."

"And that's all you're going to do, you hear me? I'm in the Selection." She didn't elaborate. Eventually, the lights of Trentworth came into view.

"Well, we're back."

"Now you have to walk all the way home, I guess." Adele realized. "But it was worth it. I had no idea it was like that. I wish I could do something to help."

"Just don't get caught going back inside."

"I'll try." She said dramatically. "Uh, goodnight, I guess." She suddenly was so tired, she was about to sleep where she stood. It was almost three in the morning. She darted across the gardens, and climbed back up the terrace onto the balcony, pausing outside her room to wave to Colin. She stepped inside, and switched on the lights long enough to wash her face, brush her teeth and change before she fell into bed and slept like she was dead.

…

While the rest of Trentworth was sleeping off last night's party, Nicole had work to do. She had been up semi-early, whereas all the other girls slept until noon. They had lounged around their rooms, alone or with friends, but she had been dancing all day.

She had been working on her training for almost three weeks now, often with Christine. While the blonde princess seemed sweet and like she could never raise her voice, she was a pretty fierce teacher. She wasn't mean by any stretch, just firm. Nicole had never had a real teacher, and it showed. Her technique was poor, at best. While she possessed the knowledge, the flexibility, and the physical strength required, she hadn't been taught correctly.

Christine had ruled the first week that Nicole needed to go completely back to basics, and had only just now let her go back on pointe. She had been re-mastering the art of fouettes on pointe all day, and she still couldn't seem to get the simple move correctly. Hearing a knock on her door, she groaned, and stalked to the door, all but throwing it open.

Mistake. Ethan stood at her door.

"Sorry." She said quickly, feeling heat rush to her cheeks. She was wearing a thin day dress, but at least she had decided against wearing one of the nightgowns, more practical for dancing.

"Am I interrupting something?" He seemed slightly confused.

"Yes. Actually, I'm right in the middle of something. Can it wait?" She realized she was addressing the prince of Illea, but she didn't want to give him or herself any ideas.

"What's so important? I didn't think anyone did anything today."

"Um, it's…fouettes. On pointe."

"What now?" He looked slightly terrified, then realized she still had her slippers on. "Oh. Dance stuff. Christine told us she had been working with you."

"Yes and I'm very busy. Please excuse me." Nicole tried to be polite in tone, because her words were anything but.

"Well, I was wondering if you wanted to…have dinner with me? Unless you're too busy. But I have to go back to the palace for a week and then fly to Allens to make a speech, and I just thought…maybe…."

Nicole sighed. He had started to be less shy during their stay at Trentworth, but he still reverted back into it at times.

"Okay, fine. What time?"

"In say…an hour? Meet me on the terrace, off the dining room?"

"Sure." Nicole gave in with a non-comitial shrug.

"Great." They stood their awkwardly for a moment.

"Well, I've got to change and stuff…"

"Right. Bye."

Nicole shut the door softly, hoping she hadn't been too rude. She didn't like feelings. She didn't like hurting her friend's feelings and making them jealous. She didn't like this at all.

After a few more attempts, she realized anymore of this futile. She couldn't concentrate. She sat on her bed to remove her pointe shoes. She only had to beat out six girls to make it to the Elite, and then she could be a Two and hopefully every ballet company would want her and she could be a principal and _I can't even do fouettes._" She flopped backwards on her bed and sighed in frustration. The door leading onto the balcony opened and Nat barged in.

"Hey sis, watcha doing?" Nat asked brightly, pouncing beside her.

"I was trying to practice and then _he _had to come ask me to dinner." Nicole complained.

Nat giggled. "I think more than half of the girls here would be thrilled to trade places with you."

"Even you?"

"Nah. Ethan and I are friends. I work for him-"

"You _what_?"

"No! None of that." Nat's tone was reassuring and sarcastic at the same time. "I'm kinda like his spy. I give him advice, since I know all the girls better than him, and I help him not be so incredibly awkward and set up dates and-"

"Wait. So you set this up? Why?" Nicole wailed. "I need to get these fouettes down, Nat!"

"This is the Selection, Nicole. You're using ballet as a defense mechanism. You won't even hang out with your friends. You just shut yourself up in here. It's time for a break. And speaking of which, you need to get ready!"

Nicole rolled over on her stomach, burying her face in the comforter and made an annoyed shriek into the fabric.

"Love you too. Now into the shower!"

Forty five minutes later, Nicole was showered, made up, and dressed in a strapless ice blue satin gown with gold filigree on the bodice with a gold belt, her hair swept up. Nat waved cheekily at her as she stepped back into her own room off the balcony, while Nicole continued to the stairs, nerves tightening in her stomach with each step.

Ethan was waiting on the terrace below, in a blue button down with the sleeves rolled up and dark gray dress pants.

"We match." She said stupidly.

"How go the pirouettes?" He actually joked.

Nicole didn't bother correcting him. "Badly." She took his offered arm, and allowed him to lead her out into the gardens, where a table for two had been sat up with their dinner.

"Hopefully it won't rain like the first time." Another joke. He was in rare form.

"Yeah, that was embarrassing. I threw a vase at you."

"You were embarrassed?" He asked incredulously, pulling out her chair for her. "I took a girl on a date outside, and it rained!"

"And the cameras saw everything."

"And I told them not to put any of it on the Report."

"True." Nicole sat down, and reached for her glass to take a sip of water. "So you let Nat convince you to do all this?"

"Did she tell you?"

"The minute you left."

"Oh. Well, she's a good friend. And I needed someone like that to help me out here. I'm way out of my depth."

"At least the cameras aren't here to publically embarrass you." Nicole reminded him, starting on the salad.

"True. But only for security reasons. Everyone thinks we're still at the palace."

"What did you say about that earlier?"

"Oh yeah. Well, my parents decided we're all going to different provinces to make speeches and appearances to sort of calm everyone down and reassure them. The attack at the palace really shattered the people's confidence."

"And hopefully by everything you don't mean us?"

"No, just the official royal family."

Nicole sighed with relief. That conversation died, so she tried a new one. "So what have the rebels been up to lately? They've been isolating us from everything. We just now get those gossip magazines again."

"My father thinks it's for your own safety. But the rebel's haven't been doing much. A couple of protests in the big cities. They attacked a couple of the service offices, too. But they lost a lot of man power when the army came to the palace."

"So, like is it safe at the palace?"

"We lost a lot of guards too. But my father has some of the best soldiers guarding things there. They haven't been doing much since the conflict with Russia ended. Which never should have happened in the first place, but Father…" he trailed off with a sigh. "He thinks I should be prepared to be king in case the same thing happens to him. But he never cares to hear my thoughts."

"I can't imagine how hard it must be for you."

"Yeah. Usually, if there are any sons after the first, they go to the military. But he's paranoid. He wants us to be the best. And ready for anything. And he's so blind to the suffering of the people. He won't do anything about it. He still hasn't recovered from me eliminating Elly. I'm not sure what he would have done if one of the Twos had decided to leave after the attack."

"If you could, what would you do to stop the suffering?"

"I don't know. But if we did something, the rebels would maybe calm down. But he doesn't even care." Ethan looked up from his dinner. "You know, you're really easy to talk to about this stuff."

"I must be, because I've never heard you talk so much before." Nicole teased. Ethan smiled.

"It's heavy on my mind. I've got to make a bunch of speeches, but he's got to approve them, so I won't get to say what I want to."

"Why don't you just change it halfway through, when it's too late to stop you?" Nicole suggested.

"Because I'll definitely hear about it later. Probably in front of an audience too. He and my mom are so caught up in appearances, they don't do their job. It's all about Selections and parties and events and Reports…it's so stifling."

"What about Andrew? He'll be the king when they retire."

"My dad will die before he retires. Andrew's better. But he'd rather go to a party or something than make legislation. He doesn't apply himself." Ethan finished off his dinner, and then looked regretfully at Nicole. "Sorry, I've spent this whole time talking about myself."

"No, you've been talking about the country. Sometimes people need to talk to someone to get their ideas out. I'm willing to listen. I think you'd make a great king."

Ethan studied her for a long moment, and Nicole grew uncomfortable and looked down at her plate.

"Thanks." He said softly. "I don't think anyone's ever told me that."

…

**Wow, road trips are really convenient for getting writing done! A lot of Adele's part was taken with inspiration from "Titanic" and "Newsies" because I can't come up with good ideas myself….**

**So, do you guys like this? I know everyone loves Lissa and Wesley, but how do you guys feel about Adele? I've been writing her a lot lately. Tell me your thoughts on the characters and plot stuff in a review! And you can be totally honest, I can take it!**

**-Shades **


	59. Don't You Dare Look Back

** The Story: When you have such an awesome fabulous fan-freaking-tastic dream usually involving your crush/celeb BFF's and can't go back to reality afterwards. **

**Shout out to my lovely reviewers! **delovlies, UltimateMaxmericaShipper, the5SOS-YAfangirl, 4Love4Love4, Demigod-Gallagher-Selected, Guest **and **Nameless Guest**! **

**This is a predominantly fluff chapter, but it should be pretty enjoyable!**

…

"But you just got here!" Lissa exclaimed. Wesley quickly shushed her as they stood outside the dining room, about five minutes before the others would start arriving dinner.

"I know. But my dad wants all of us to go to different provinces and speak and stuff. I'll be with my mom, it'll be fine. We have enough security detail that they drive me crazy. I can't even go to the bathroom without them knowing and sweeping the place for bomb threats."

"But the masquerade had the highest security too, and look what happened."

"If they want to make a statement, they'll go for the king, not me. It's only for a few days."

"Still…" Lissa trailed off. "I'll miss you."

Wesley reached for her hand. "I know." He glanced around them, and then quickly kissed her cheek. "But you're tough. You can survive anything. And I fall in love with you every time I see you."

"So if you don't see me for three days what happens then?"

Wesley smirked. "I miss you, I pine for you, and then when I see you again, I'm more in love than ever before. We found love right where we are."

Lissa grinned, but before she could say anything, the clatter of heels and a flirtatious giggle interrupted. Wesley dropped her hand quickly and cleared his throat.

"Wesley!" Mackenzie glided up to them. Half of her chest was bared in a plunging scarlet gown. "I haven't seen you all day! Have you been avoiding me?" She stuck out her lip in a pout.

Wesley laughed awkwardly, and ran a hand through his close cropped hair. "Haha, yeah just been busy." He gave her the most awkward smile Lissa had ever seen. She turned away, snickering, and greeted Gracie and Amber as they entered the dining room as Mackenzie laughed loudly and tried to flirt with Wesley.

"Seriously? All day paperwork?"

"And other…princely duties?" Wesley shrugged. Lissa noticed his ears getting red just like Ethan's. Mackenzie suddenly turned sour.

"What, like hanging around with this trash?" She curled her lip and nodded to Lissa. Lissa felt deflated. People still saw her as that.

"Excuse me, Lady Mackenzie, but you speak to one of your fellow Selected. She may be a Three and you may be a Two, but she has more kindness and is far more of a real woman."

"Excuse me?" Mackenzie spat. "She's nothing more than a trashy Seven."

At this, Lissa bristled. "I may have danced like a slut for a living. But because of this, my family is alive. And I wouldn't call someone else trashy while wearing that dress." She made eye contact with Wesley, and saw pride sparkling in his eyes, before she flounced off, her peach tulle gown swirling around her. She hated to be mean to anyone, especially her considered competitors, but sometimes, Mackenzie just really got to her, and she needed to be put in her place.

She found a seat in the dining room across from Amber and next to Gracie.

"What are you grinning about?" Gracie prodded.

"Mackenzie's a nightmare."

"You didn't think we knew that?" Katherine settled next to Lissa, resplendent in lavender. The four laughed.

"I feel bad now. I really do." Lissa stirred the ice around in her water glass.

"What did sweet ole' Lissa do this time?" Sirena and Nat arrived, and sat down in the next seats.

Lissa sighed. "She called me trashy. So I called her dress trashy. I feel so mean now!"

"She deserves it!" Sirena held up her glass in a toast. "To Lissa!" They clinked glasses, and then burst into laughter as Mackenzie paraded in with a scowl, Cordelia behind her. Wesley entered a moment later, and winked discreetly at Lissa before going to sit by his mother.

"Where's Ethan?" Gracie remarked after a moment, looking around. Nat coughed a little as she took a bite of her salad.

"He's on a date." She announced, mouth full.

"With who?" Cordelia squawked down the table.

"Nicole."

"And since when are you so privy to all his activities?" Mackenzie spat.

"She's my sister?" Nat answered.

"Gosh, Mackenzie, stop being such a Nazi about it." Sirena added.

"I think I have every right to. Besides, Ethan only likes skinny girls. You know how Adele got the first kiss, and she has the body of a dancer? Same with Nicole."

"He hasn't kissed her yet." Gracie reminded them. Sirena stabbed her salad with anger, resulting in a loud clank.

"You think you're in that class?"

"As a matter of fact, yes. He kissed me last night." Mackenzie smirked smugly, and went back to her salad. All the girls immediately began talking.

"I don't believe you!" Gracie accused

"When?" Katherine looked crestfallen.

"Why you?" Cordelia huffed, crossing her arms.

Mackenzie didn't answer the questions, she just laughed airily. A glance from the queen silenced their speculations.

"It's true. I saw it happen. Only he didn't exactly kiss her." Amber said softly to the girls around her.

"Really?" Gracie suddenly brightened.

"Well, after the party, when he was going back to his room from the balcony, and she tried to seduce him or something. She was waiting out on the balcony, and her room is right by mine. She grabbed his arm and kinda launched herself at him. He pulled away, apologized, and practically bolted away. It was pretty funny."

It didn't take long for news of the story to spread around the dinner table, and soon the girls were tittering with laughter as they tried not to let Mackenzie figure out what the giggles were about. Lissa grinned. This sisterhood was probably one of the best parts of the Selection.

…

"Well, this sucks." Sirena voiced what was on everyone's minds.

"Tell me about it." Nat echoed. It was the following day, and the royals had all left early that morning. The Selected had been planning on spending the weekend out at the beach, since the Queen didn't approve of them or her children running amok in the waves.

But it was raining. The day had started cloudy and drizzly, and now is pouring down rain, with an occasional rumble of thunder. Nat and Sirena had tried to go out anyway, but the guards told them not too, since a storm could be dangerous. So instead of swimsuits and sunbathing, the sixteen remaining girls gathering in the main room of the second floor, where all their bedroom doors faced, in day dresses and heels.

"Our two days of freedom, and we have to stay inside." Michaela muttered, propping her feet up against the window.

"We could watch a movie or something." Gracie suggested.

"It won't be any fun unless it's actually a date with Ethan." Amber said. "Which is a little impossible."

"If there were more maids here, I'd say it's about time we all got a new dress or two." Mackenzie piped up from where she lounged on a sofa, filing her nails.

"Didn't we just, though? For the banquet?" Adele was quick to speak up. "It's not like we don't have tons of dresses we never wear anyway."

"And since when you are the champion for recycling?" Cordelia snapped. Adele glared at her.

"Maybe we could get some of the workers to take us into town. Is there a town around here anyway?" Sirena suggested.

"And what would that accomplish?" Adele fired back. "It's a slum."

"Well, that handyman Colin is pretty cute." Sirena mused.

"Not as cute as Ethan!" Gracie giggled. "But seriously, guys. It's just here, and we have tons of stuff at our disposal and we can't think of anything to do? What sort of stuff did we do at sleepovers when we were younger?"

"I hated sleepovers." Elvira put in. The girls laughed. Elvira had initially been pretty freaked out about the whole sisterhood and glam aspect of the Selection, but now made jokes about it, and laughed at their teasing. "I only remember going to one, and I walked home."

"Well, my friends and I used to give each other manicures." Amelia suggested.

"We used to take a bunch of stupid pictures and do each other's hair" Amber put in.

"Why don't we, like, give each other makeovers?" Sirena exclaimed, jumping up. "We can wear each other's dresses and do makeup and hair and then take pictures?"

"That sounds dumb." Mackenzie scoffed.

"No, actually it sounds kind of fun. Can we just be teenage girls for a few hours?" Nat backed Sirena up.

"Well, I'm in." Gracie said. Autumn, Felicity, and Amber agreed.

"C'mon, Nicky, ballet can wait a few hours!" Nat poked her twin in the ribs, where she was stretching.

Nicole sighed. "Fine, it sounds kind of fun, anyway."

"Everyone, be back here in ten minutes, with all the stuff that you think might be fun." Sirena cried, and they all dispersed excitedly.

Armfuls of gowns and shoes were soon draped over chairs and sofas, mirrors, hair supplies and makeup set up on the coffee tables, and the girls buzzing about. Using Lissa as their first victim, they had her try on dress after dress until she agreed on a pink satin evening gown. Amber and Rory did her hair and Sirena applied her makeup while the other girls judged and modeled each other's dresses. Make up was gaudy and Adele ended up helping them make it look like stage make-up. They made each other put things on they would never wear. Nicole ended up in one of Elvira's jet black avant garde gowns, and Rory in a poufy pink ball gown of Gracie's. Katherine wore one of Sirena's dramatic mermaid gowns, in scarlet. Amelia and Felicity swapped their simple gowns for two of Amber's funky crop top and skirt combos.

Some of the maids who had come with them from the palace and had been close to whichever Selected they served came, and helped them with hair and added to camaraderie. Rory and Amber and the maids made their hair look pretty awesome, with piles of curls, and towering Marie-Antoinette updos. Combined with overly powdered cheeks and sparkly eye shadow to match their dresses, they looked pretty crazy.

Even Mackenzie got into the spirt of things, although she tended to put all the spotlight on herself. She looked completely different in a blush tea-length tulle dress of Katherine's—almost sweet. Elvira was probably the most fun to makeover. She tried to swap with one of Sirena's gowns, but they convinced her into one of Lissa's flowery pink ball gowns. She looked pretty ridiculous, so they swapped her modern mostly black style for one of Adele's vintage inspired, a fitted ivory silk. Sirena still managed to look fantastic in one of Michaela's light beach-y dresses, while Michaela managed to pull of one of Sirena's dramatic ensembles, a skin tight silver number that sparkled like a mirror.

When they all looked completely ridiculous, they took billions of pictures in the most ridiculous poses. On a whim, as it began pouring down rain, they ran out on the balcony and had another impromptu photoshoot. After that, their makeup and hair was ruined, so they all decided to just get casual. Gowns and heels were sorted out, and makeup was washed off, and they all dug around in what they had brought to find an outfit they had brought from home, or something else casual, before piling on the sofas in sweatpants and tee shirts. The staff helped them finish cleaning up the second floor room, and they went searching through the storage for some old board games, which didn't exactly get played once they all started laughing at some stupid jokes, and couldn't stop.

Sirena convinced Adele to teach them how to tap dance, and Nat made Nicole do likewise with ballet, but both turned into failures, but a bonding experience nonetheless. Then, with the housekeeper's permission, they all packed into the kitchen. Gracie, Katherine, and Michaela tried to teach them how to bake a cake, and make cookies but someone spilled some flour, and Lissa blew it all over Amber, which resulted in shrieking and a flour fight, again repeated with the powdered sugar. They ate most of the cookie dough and cake batter before it could be properly made into desserts, so the three bakers barred them from baking, and set about baking some proper desserts, while they told stories.

Mackenzie was halfway decent, and told them experiences of being a news reporter, and trying not laugh on live television. Rory added her own experiences about working with cute actors and the fun they had on set, and Cordelia had many similar stories to share. Elvira regaled them with tales of boot camp nightmares. Lissa sent them all mushy with stories of her little brothers. Felicity and mostly Adele probably had the most entertaining stories of touring with their acting troupe, of performing their dance routines at midnight in a mostly empty airport, and singing the songs on the buses and in the hotels they stayed at.

Someone found a radio and they sang along at the top of their lungs and made up stupid dance routines to go with it while they waited for the three bakers to finish their desserts. When the cupcakes and cookies were ready, they realized it was almost dinner, so they gave the staff the night off, and made a mess of the kitchen attempting to make pasta. They had tried to make spaghetti, but the sauce failed, so they ended up with just pasta. Nicole ended up taking over, and made them some real food.

Since they had made such a mess, they took it upon themselves to clean everything up, which actually became kind of fun with music and dancing. Adele proclaimed the countertop the perfect place to tap dance, so she, Nat, and Sirena ended up on it, dancing and belting out old pop songs. They took the dessert back up to the second floor, and put in a movie and pigged out.

"I think this has been the best day yet." Michaela decided, from where she was sprawled on the carpet.

"Not even Ethan can top this." Sirena added. "Or at least, he's going to have to try really hard to do so."

…

**Yeah, so just a lot of fluff, no real substance to this chapter, but I've been wanting to do something like this for a while, and Trentworth presented the perfect opportunity. A lot of these scenes were inspired by things you guys have posted on Pinterest or said in reviews over the months. I can't believe I've been writing this for almost a year! (Since last August!) **

**I really appreciate your support! Love you guys! **

**Don't forget to review, and let me know who you would like to hear from next!**


	60. Answer the Call

**The Story: When you're about to go to bed, and you ask your sis (**delovlies) **for some help on writing (as my official writing consultant) and some story advice, and you end up spending the next two hours talking about nothing, really, and fangirling and needless to say, ideas for your story don't get planned either. And then you decide you should go to bed, and you ask her who she likes, and she gets all quiet and then whispers **_**Orlando Bloom. **_**Have we really ever grown up since middle school? **

**Wishing Orlando Bloom to my loves/reviewers: **delovlies, the 5SOS-YAfangirl, Smiley face **(x2), **UltimateMaxmericaShipper, majestictales, **and huge shout out to my new binge reading, rant reviewing, and totally wonderful reviewer **LadyAnj**! Thanks so much!**

**Switching it up a little and doing a pretty boring plot heavy Ethan POV chapter! Still making plans for the ladies!**

…

_Why me?_

Ethan rested his forehead against the window as he watched the land of his country fly by from the window of the plane. _Why me? _The question weighed heavy on his mind. Why did he have to endure the Selection? Why did he have to make the decision? Why did he have to be speaking today? Why was he even the prince?

To restore the public's faith in the security of the monarchy now that the immediate damage had been repaired following the attack on the palace, his father had decided to send all of them to different provinces to speak. Things had been tense. People were scared, and realizing that the country was not as stable as it seemed. The rebels were rioting and protesting, and people were starting to realize that they were in poverty and the monarchy wasn't doing anything to help. The situation in Yukon was only worsening, although it was hard to know exactly what was going on.

So now, Ethan had to appear on television and humiliate himself giving a speech. A stupid little speech prepared all approved by King Jackson, his loving father who was oh-so-proud. At least it was a speech. Everything written there in front of him, knowing exactly what to say and with enough practice how to say it. No making conversation and coming up with responses.

But how the people would respond and what the public would make of him, that was a whole new thing all together. And of course, he could stutter, flub a word, not live up to Andrew and see the disappointment in his father's eyes. He could trip on the way up there, forget how to read, go blind, throw up…the list was endless.

He sighed, and rubbed his hand over his face. This was too much. The first appearance of the royal family since the attack. And the eyes were on him. He was speaking in Allens, and because of the time zones, his would premier first, followed by Andrew and Christine in Carolina, and then his mother and Wesley in Sumner, Michelle in Dakota, and then his father would speak in Angeles before traveling to Sonage, Yukon's neighboring province, to speak tomorrow.

And then they would all return to Trentworth and the Selection would continue. And that was probably the worst. It was unpredictable and confusing and a crazy roller coaster of ups and downs. One minute, he thought he could be falling for one girl and then he would see something in another. Should he pick for himself, or his father? A girl his total opposite or his exact similar?

At least Nat had come clean and confessed that they would never work romantically. And he gained a valuable ally. There were some girls he was unsure about, but just didn't want to send home. Aside from the initial eliminations, he hadn't actually sent anyone home. Autumn and Felicity were sweet girls. He just didn't feel that spark. But around other girls, he did feel it. Adele was so full of life and easy to talk to. After their initial awkwardness following the kiss, he loved to be around her.

Gracie was one of the sweetest girls he'd ever met, and she was so loving and unconditionally loving. He liked her passion for things, and how when she looked at him, it was like only he existed to her. On the other hand, Cordelia was only sticking around for the press. He didn't like her and she didn't like him, and didn't bother to hide it like Rory, who was just in it for the crown.

Michaela made everything more fun. She was so easy to be around, and he didn't feel like he had to impress her. He hadn't really spoken to Sirena since the attack. She had been somewhat cold to him for accusing her of her eating disorders coming back up at the masquerade. But he admired her always looking for a party, and not letting what others thought of her hold her down. Amber was like that too. She was comfortable with herself and she seemed like she had fallen for him, and held him in such high esteem.

Katherine was a totally different creature. She seemed so sad sometimes, he just wanted to hold her and put all her broken pieces back together. She was so tragically beautiful, but she took his breath away. Amelia had a similar sadness about her, but she seemed uncomfortable around him, despite their connection early on.

He didn't really know what to think of Mackenzie. She had thrown herself at him yesterday, kissing him like he was water in a desert. Obviously, she had been no stranger to kissing, seeing from her…technique. Not like kissing Katherine or Gracie, and even Adele. Lissa, too, confused him. She seemed to spend more time looking at Wesley than him, and he had a pretty good idea that a little crush had formed between them, since they were of the same age. He hadn't spoken one word to her since escorting her into the Great Room for the masquerade.

Elvira had initially scared him. With her edgy makeup and black gowns, and her coldness, she had surprised him with her kindness, and he found her easy to talk to. She had plenty of interesting stories, and would always try to help with some problems, although if they got too close physically, she would get nervous. Nicole was similar. She was easy to talk to, once she came out of her shell a bit. She seemed to spend all her waking hours dancing, and she obviously held that as more important than him. She confused him.

_Maybe I should write some of this down…_Ethan mused. He had a piece of paper in his room at Trentworth with their names written over and over and crossed out and their castes written by them. He knew eventually, he was going to have to make eliminations. He had sent home the girls in the beginning he didn't like, and then many of them had left after the masquerade. Erin had to go home because her violation of conduct, but other than that, he had sixteen left, and he didn't really want to eliminate any of them. _Why do they have to be so distracting? _He pushed thoughts of the Selected from his mind, and focused on the speech, printed out and sitting in front of him. He would have to give it too soon.

.

Security was tight. There were so many guards it seemed almost unnecessary. Ethan straightened his lapels and tightened up his tie as he listened to the governor of Allens introduce him. He wiped his sweaty hands on his pants, and took a deep breath. He clutched the folder with his speech, and put on a rehearsed smile and stepped out into the view of thousands—not only the nearly nine hundred present, but also to the multitude on the cameras. The sound of applause—polite, but not overjoyed—he could still hear his heart pounding. _Why does Adele like this so much? I could never do what she does. _He quickly put his mind on the task at hand and laid out his speech. _I wonder if they can hear my pulse through the microphone. _

"Thank you, sir." Ethan nodded to the governor. He looked at the papers in front of him, and swallowed. "Citizens of Illea, I come before you not as the king, or even the future king." He read the words written by his dad and resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

"Nearly a month ago, a direct attack on the Angeles Palace shattered national security, added tension to foreign relations, and left our country reeling. But not, today, more than ever, we are stronger than we have ever been." _What a bunch of BS. _

"I believe that all of us can come together and show those who do not believe in the goodness of our country that they will not beat us down. My fellow, citizens, I hope you have as much pride in our great country as I do. Our system of government has been born from the ashes of another, and those who oppose us deserve…" Ethan trialed off. He didn't believe any of this crap. "Deserve to be punished."

The crowd stirred, glancing at one another and murmuring. Ethan gulped. "If you have any evidence of rebel activity from your fellow citizens, I urge you to contact your local service office. Those who claim to be part of the rebellion do not deserve to be part of our great country." _What? _"For years, the caste system and the monarchy have kept our country in line." _Yeah, not really. _The crowd stirred again.

"We will not let one attack change this. The rebels claim to want change, but we do not need change. We need order." Ethan had to stop. Was his father really this deluded? This didn't make sense. He was not only all but inviting the rebels to attack again, but putting down the concerns of the lower castes.

"Can ya change the unfairness in the castes?" One man in the back yelled. This started it all.

"How are we supposed t' feed our families if we's making nothin'?" A woman, this time.

"If ya father keeps overlooking our struggles, then he won't have anyone left to rule!" A young man cried. "We're starvin', dyin', and he don't care!"

"We are doing all we can to address the problems in poverty." Ethan attempted to continue. "We-"

"No, ya ain't doing anythin!" Someone yelled.

Nicole's words came back to him. '_Why don't you just change it halfway through, when it's too late to stop you?' _

What could he say? He didn't get the chance. One of the young men in the crowd jumped forward.

"Name one thing you're doing! You're little Selection? Is that helping?" He shouted at Ethan. "You royals are all alike. But you're just like us, boy. Only you live in some fancy house and think you have the right to do this." The man continued to approach, reaching into his coat.

Immediately, two guards stepped forward, and another grabbed Ethan and hustled him off stage.

"What's going on?" He demanded, hearing cries of fear, and shouting.

"He had a gun. He aimed to shoot you, probably." The man said. He barked into his radio. "Delta 4, potential assassination threat, we are bringing the prince back to the plane." Ethan was surrounded by a phalanx of guards, and they left the square where the speech was. He was forced into the car, and they sped away, back to the airport.

.

"This is a complete disaster, Ethan! What were you thinking?"

Ethan winced, and held the phone away from his ear a bit as the plane began to take off. His father hadn't taken the incident well either.

"You are a complete embarrassment to your country! Think of what the country would be if you were the heir instead of your brother!"

"I was just reading your speech!" Ethan lost his composure. "I didn't do anything wrong!"

"You should have contained them! Said something to calm them down!"

"That wasn't in the speech. You told me not to change anything!"

"Well, in this case, think for yourself for once! Why do you have to be so incompetent?"

_Maybe because you always beat me down. I can't do anything right in your eyes. _He didn't say it, though. King Jackson continued to rant on the phone, and like he usually did, Ethan began to tune it out. It wasn't really his fault, not this time. His father's speech was crap. He didn't know what the hell was going on in his country.

…

**A little short, but I'm out of words for this scene. And suddenly don't have any closing comments. **

**Except that yesterday was the gorgeous Aidan Turner's birthday. And being the fangirl I am, I decided to acknowledge it. And Poldark premieres in the US on Sunday! It's a terrific show and Aidan is gorgeous and takes his shirt off enough times to make it worth watching. So yeah, if you like historical dramas and hot guys and fantastic female characters and engaging love triangles with some stunning views of Cornwall, watch it!**

**Anyway, make sure to review, and tell me who you'd like to hear from next!**

**-Shades**


	61. Just By Saying So

**The Story: Writing kissing scenes. It's terribly awkward. You spend forever writing and deleting and re-writing to make sure it's not too awkward but not too intense. You read those parts from other books for guidance but its still awks, especially for a virgin kisser like your truly. I'm in a committed relationship with Lee Pace on Pinterest. And Newsies. Newsies is my bae. (- um wow bae is apparently a word)**

**My bae reviewers you guys are baes: **UltimateMaxmericaShipper, delovlies, LadyAnj, majestictales, **and **4Love4Love4 (**although I didn't give you guys much time to review!) **

**Excuse my stupidity it's like midnight and I've been in a car for two days. This is back at Trentworth right after last chapter!**

…

Back in Trentworth, the girls were crowded around the television as they watched the fiasco of Ethan's speech. As the coverage ended abruptly and cut to commentary, the girls all exchanged glances. Gracie was worried. Eventually something like this would happen, and next time, Ethan might not be so lucky. Heck, next time _she_ could not be so lucky.

Mackenzie looked disdained. Nicole looked afraid. Sirena was even quite for once. Elvira was on her feet, pacing. Lissa was checking the time. Adele scrutinized her nails, her brow furrowed. Amber looked worried.

_But I would be lucky if I got to marry him…I don't care if he won't ever be king. I just love him. _Gracie twisted a curl around her finger, lost in thoughts. Since the excitement was over, the girls were parting ways to entertain them. While yesterday's rain had pretty much cleared except for an occasional drizzle, it was still overcast and cool, not ideal beach weather.

"It's a gorgeous day for a ride. I haven't been on a horse in forever." Nat remarked.

"But we're not supposed to go without Ethan." Gracie reminded her.

"At the palace. This is Trentworth. Besides, who would ever find out? Don't you miss riding too?"

"Yeah, I guess so."

"Alright, then let's go." She turned to Sirena.

"I'm in!" The redhead chirped.

"What about you, Nicole?"

"No, thanks. I've got stuff."

"No, you really don't. Let's go!" Nat giggled, and grabbed her sister's arm.

"I'll leave the horses to you, sis!" Nicole tried to get away.

"Oh no you don't! It'll be fun! Let's go get changed!"

Since no one was around to tell them otherwise, they put on jeans and boots instead of the dumb riding gowns. Some of the staff helped them saddle the horses and it wasn't long before the four of them were walking their mounts over the sand, presented with the stunning views of the ocean.

"Oh my goodness, I've missed this so much!" Nat cried, throwing her arms wide, not caring one bit about the reins. "Who wants to gallop with me?"

"I can barely do this. I think you got the horse genes." Nicole quipped.

"Yeah, I'm not very experienced either." Sirena said.

"Gracie? Want to race?"

"Maybe later. I can feel these saddles muscles again, and they're all out of whack!"

"I know, it's some kind of torture to separate a girl from horses." Nat wheeled her horse away from them, and kicked it into a gallop, crouching in the saddle, jockey style. They laughed as they heard her whoop with joy.

"Hey, who's that?" Sirena voiced, twisted around in the saddle. She gestured behind them. Gracie and Nicole turned. They saw a lone figure, also on a horse, but obviously not from the royal stables. The horse was skinny, it's coat muddy, and it lacked the stately bearing of the purebreds they rode.

"He looks sort of familiar." Sirena said.

"Yeah. He does." Nicole's forehead creased into worry. "I know I've seen him somewhere."

"It's hard to tell. He's far away." The only thing Gracie could discern was his dark hair. He watched them without moving for a long moment, before calmly turning his horse around and disappearing from sight.

Nat and her horse came flying up, both speckled with mud. "What'cha looking at?" She asked.

"There was a man watching us. He left." Nicole told her. "Maybe we should get back. He didn't look like a guard."

She didn't say it, but Gracie realized that he could be a rebel. They could be potential targets, like Ethan almost was.

"But everyone thinks we're at Trentwoth. No one knows we're here, right?"

"Supposed to." Nat muttered. "But who knows." She seemed nervous.

Gracie shivered, suddenly realizing the danger they were in. "Let's go back."

No one argued with her, and they walked their horses at a fast pace, talking nervously. As usual, no one brought up the topic of Ethan. It had grown to be taboo among friendships. They left the horses to the grooms at the stables, and trooped back up to the estate. As Nicole went to change, and Sirena stopped to talk to Rory in the main room of the second story where many of the girls were clustered, Gracie realized this was her chance.

"Hey, Nat, can I talk to you for a sec?" She asked. It was becoming common knowledge that Nat and Ethan talked a lot, after Cordelia saw them together one occasion, and then Mackenzie saw them the next day.

"Sure, what's up?" Nat paused at her door. "You want to come?" She opened it, and ushered Gracie in. She slipped out of her muddy sweatshirt, and tossed it into the bathroom.

"Well…" Gracie began. "I'm not really sure how to ask this."

"Go ahead." Nat stepped into the bathroom to change out of her muddy clothes, leaving the door open to hear Gracie. It was almost easier to talk when she couldn't see her.

"Well, you know how Mackenzie and Cordelia spread all those rumors…"

"Yeah." Nat scoffed. "That's all they do around here."

"Well, they said you've been spending a lot of time with Ethan lately." Gracie blurted out.

"So?" Nat emerged in the dress she had been wearing earlier.

"So…I was just wondering if anything is like…going on…between you two."

Nat smirked. "No. We're just….friends."

Gracie deflated with relief. "Oh good."

"Good?" Nat sat down on her bed. "Look, Gracie, don't take this the wrong way, but…I'm not sure you can control Ethan. He's going to make his own choices."

"I know, I know." Gracie stood up to leave. "Guess I'm being pretty annoying, trying to keep tabs on everyone. I just…I guess I'm jealous."

"I think most of the girls here would be lying if they said they never got jealous. You're not alone."

"Yeah…anyway, if you guys are, like, friends, maybe you could, I don't know, put in a good for me?"

"Um, okay?"

"Please? It would mean so much to me! I just love him so much, and I want him to feel the same way and-"

"Wait, you love him?" Nat looked mildly alarmed.

Gracie felt her cheeks burn. "I think so. No…that's not true. I know I do. So will you? Please?" Nat sighed, and then shrugged. "Alright. I'll think of something."

Impulsively, Gracie hugged her. "Oh, thank you thank you thank you! You don't know how much this means to me!" She said her goodbyes, and then went back to her own room. She just hoped Ethan loved her too.

…

It had bothered her more than she had let on. Nat leaned against the railing of the balcony, watching lightning light up the approaching storm cell over the ocean. It was eerie out here, with the only noise the hot wind and the sound of the thunder rumbling closer.

She hadn't seen the man the other girls had, but it had left her nervous and unsettled. She had a flashback to her and Ethan's first date, where the rebels had tried to kill them both at the wall, and then to their brutality to her and Ben in the stables in the attack on the masquerade.

It was late, and most of the girls were in their rooms, asleep or getting ready to. Their weekend without the royals was mostly over. Thankfully, the king and queen wouldn't be back for a few more days, but the royal children would be tomorrow. She shifted positions, wishing their horseback riding hadn't been cut short. The wind blew again, whipping her thin nightdress and hair around. She smoothed it out of her eyes, starting at a blast of thunder, louder this time, and then lightning lit up the beach and the path that led through the gardens.

Someone was down there.

Nat felt her heart jump, and she froze. It hadn't been a guard. A guard wouldn't have hid behind a tree. A guard would have been in uniform. Besides, there usually weren't guards stationed down there. _Get inside. Get inside. _Her conscious screamed. But her legs felt like lead.

She heard the sound of someone moving, and then coming up the stairs to the wrap-around balcony. _Shoot, get inside. Lock the doors, hide! MOVE! _She could see a figure now, moving cautiously. Finally, her fear unfroze, and she bolted back to her door, fumbling at the knob, but her hands were shaking too bad. She was about to scream for help, when the figure stepped into the light her window.

"Oh my goodness. Ben!" She gasped out, her heart pounding still from fear. "How did you get here?" She whispered, too shocked to give him a proper greeting. Thankfully, he wasn't. With one hand, he opened her French doors, and the other encircled her waist, and he pressed a searing kiss on her lips, pulling her inside. Nat locked it behind them, and pulled down the shades in between kisses. All the time she had spent worrying about him and missing him and thinking about him came out, and it had been too long. She kissed him with all of that stored up, and he returned her passion.

Finally, they pulled apart long enough for Nat to lock the inside door to the main room of the second floor.

"What are you doing here?" She asked softly, as he kissed her again. She drank in his features. They were still the same, with some changes. Unruly, dark curly hair that had gotten a little longer, in need of a shave, gray eyes that seemed older, wiser. He wore dark jeans and a navy blue shirt under a dark gray jacket.

"I had to see you." His voice was low and husky, as he trailed kisses down her neck. "I missed you."

Nat giggled. "Obviously. How did you know I was here? No one is supposed to. And what happened after you left? Did they catch you? I thought I'd never see you again!"

"I promised, didn't I?" He pulled her close, and kissed her again, but softer this time, not quite so urgent. "But I can't stay for much longer."

"So what happened after you left?"

"Ran into one of the men under my command, and he was wounded. I couldn't just leave him to die, so I rode double back to one of our bases. No one asked about Adam, they just assumed he had been killed by the army."

"So…so you're still a rebel?" Nat breathed, hoping he wouldn't say yes.

"Not by choice. But I can't just leave. They don't let you leave unless you're dead." Ben's face darkened into a scowl. "Me and a few other guys were sent to the town about two miles away, in case you might be hiding out here. Your friend Adele gave it away. She was in town the other night."

"What was Adele doing in town?"

"I don't know. She was with one of the men who worked here, and they were at a party. One of my partners saw her, but I told them to get out of there. But the rebels, they know."

"That we're here?"

Ben nodded gravely. "I was sent to double check today. I saw you."

"You were the man they saw?" Nat suddenly felt relived.

"Saw you riding." Ben smirked. "But I told them I didn't see anyone outside, but it looked like there had been people living there recently."

"Are we in danger?" Nat instinctively reached for his hand, and he wrapped his arms around her, and held her against his chest.

"I hope not. But you saw what happened today. One of our men almost assassinated him."

"That could be one of us." Nat finished his thought. But for now, in his arms, listening to his heartbeat, she felt safe. "I guess I can't really say anything to get us somewhere else. I'm sure they have other vacation homes. But I can't say my rebel boyfriend told me, can I?"

Ben kissed the top of her head. "No. You can't. Just…be careful." Regretfully, he released her. "I couldn't stand to really lose you again. But this time, forever."

"You're leaving?"

"Before they suspect anything. I wish I could stay." He held her gaze for a long moment. "I missed you." He murmured. "You're not in love with Ethan, are you?"

Nat smiled, and leaned up to kiss him, long and slow. "Does this answer your question?"

"Yeah." Ben smirked.

"We're just friends. It's a mutual agreement."

"Well, I'll try to come again soon. Not tomorrow, but maybe the day after."

"I'll be waiting."

He kissed her quickly goodbye, and squeezed her hand, before slipping back out onto the balcony. The storm raged overhead, and rain fell in sheets. Ben hesitated.

"Wish you could stay." Nat whispered after him. "But you better go before anyone sees you."

"You're right. Bye." He gave her a nod, and hurried out into the rain. Nat watched him dart across the garden, until he disappeared. She stood just inside her door, the rain blowing in on her. _Ben is here. He isn't miles away. _She couldn't stop her grin. _But he's stuck in the rebellion. _

_And they know we're here. _

…

**Hehehehe things are getting intense (in more ways than one…) A little on the short side, but anyways, I just updated. Don't you just love summer and no school? **

**Shout out to **UltimateMaxmericaShipper **and **majestictales **for updating! You guys, keep going! I love reading them, so check them out! **

**Don't forget to review! And end every sentence with an exclamation point! **

**-Shades**


	62. Stop Telling Me What To Do

**The Story: As some of you may know, I've recently become obsessed with the show Newsies. Well, I just got to see them on tour, and met the cast at the stage door afterwards. And because I'm never cool or smooth, all my clever little things to say to them were immediately forgotten, and I was reduced to high pitched "HI!" and "THANK YOU SO MUCH YOU WERE AWESOME" and one "I COULDN'T EVEN". Yeah, I'm an embarrassment to myself. **

**But I wish witty comments and cute boys and not making fools of yourselves to my reviewers: **majestictales, UltimateMaxmericaShipper, 4Love4Love4, Demigod-Gallagher-Selected, Smiley face, Lady Anj, **my ridiculous sister **delovlies, **and new reviewer and SYOC "apprentice" **PrincessSwim**! Everyone check out her story, she promises to finish it!**

…

While she hated to admit, the Selection was getting boring. Sirena threw on a knee length sky blue dress over her swimsuit, before standing sideways in the mirror. Not too bad today. She swiped on some lip-gloss and grabbed her sun glasses. While the royal children had arrived home last night, the king and queen were still giving speeches throughout Illea, leaving them alone for a few days. And the sun was out and shining, and they could finally head down to the beach.

Feeling great, she grabbed her bag, and waltzed out onto the balcony. Nat was waiting for her right outside her door.

"Boo!" Her friend joked, jumping in front of her to scare her. "You are the slowest person at getting ready ever."

"Sorry!" Sirena elbowed her in the ribs. "I have a lot of hair to tame."

"What, is red hair more evil than brunette?" Nat tossed her own mane. "C'mon, the beach is waiting." They linked arms, and giggling, headed down the wrap-around balcony to the stairs.

"So, happy Ethan is back?" Nat asked her.

"I guess so. I wish-" Before she could finish her statement, Sirena lost her footing on the stairs, and tripped. She skidded a few steps down, and burst into laughter.

"Oh my gosh, are you okay?" Nat exclaimed.

Laughing, Sirena unfolded her legs, and took Nat's offered hand. "Whoever thought I should wear heels on stairs should have expected this!" She tried to get up gracefully, but a searing pain in her ankle stopped her, and she ungracefully flopped back down. "Oh, okay, that's not good."

"Are you okay?"

"Just injured my pride. And my ankle. But I'm fine." Sirena tried to get up again, but with similar results.

"Ladies, may I be of service?" A voice behind them interrupted.

"That would be great, thanks." Sirena heard Nat say. She turned to see one of the staff—Colin, if she remembered correctly—approaching. He was tall, with mousey brown hair, and a scruffy sort of stubble on his chin and neck. Definitely cute. She quickly touched her hair to make sure it still looked okay.

"Shouldn't be wearing heels!" She joked as he held out his hand.

"I thought that's all you girls wore." He returned with a smirk as she grasped his hand, and he pulled her to her feet. By then, three or four maids were also buzzing around, making sure she was okay. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, my ankle-" She tried to put weight on it, but tottered over and ended up on his chest.

"Woah, looks like it's not ready for standing." He chuckled softly, but not unkindly.

"Obviously not very steady." She joked, feeling his arm around her waist.

"Is it okay if I carry you?" He asked gently. "I think you better get this checked out. It's probably fine, but the palace doctor can get you some ice and medicine."

"That's fine. Looks like no beach for me." Sirena shrugged, as he scooped her up. "You can go, Nat. It's just a sprain or something."

Nat frowned. "Won't be nearly as fun without you." She said, and turned to go.

"Alright, let's go." Colin said. "You're Lady Sirena, right?"

"Yeah. You fixed my water heater once." She hooked her arms around his neck as he carried her inside, with maids buzzing around them. "Thanks for doing this. I never knew a person could be so kind." In reality, she did, but lines like that always got the guys.

"Just doing my job."

"Well you're pretty good at that job." She giggled. "Being my hero and all!"

He chuckled again, and Sirena bit her lip. Maybe the Selection didn't have to be so boring with him around.

…

Adele clenched her fists around the balcony railing. _How long does it take to carry a girl to the infirmary? Shouldn't he be working? _She tapped her foot impatiently. _Why am I so jealous? _The thought hit her, and she pushed it away. _ Nonsense. I'm not jealous. I'm here for Ethan. He wants to see me. _She pulled the note from her pocket she had received upon waking. Ethan had arrived home last night, but had sent her an invitation to a date today. She smirked triumphantly.

Just then, she spotted Colin and Sirena come back outside with two maids, one carrying her heels. Her ankle was all wrapped up, and she was laughing and giggling with Colin as he helped her limp along. _Probably going to the beach or something. _

With impeccable timing, Ethan came out on the terrace, and looked around, probably for her. As if a lightbulb went off over her head, Adele had a plan. She ran down the steps of the balcony, her cover up dress flying behind her.

"Ethan!" She cried, making sure to catch the attention of Colin and Sirena. Ethan smiled at her. "It's so good to see you!"

"It's good to see you as well." He told her. "I-" Before he could say anything else, she practically threw herself in his arms, and kissed him. He seemed a bit taken back, but slowly put his hands on her shoulders, and kissed her back. He was hesitant, and she could tell he hadn't kissed many girls before. Aside from briefly with her and Gracie, and Mackenzie's failed make-out session, the longest kiss had probably been with Katherine. But now it would be her.

When she had kissed all her lipstick off, she pulled away, and flashed a smile. "Sorry, I got a little carried away." She discreetly cast a glance over her shoulder. Both Sirena and Colin were watching her, and neither looked happy. She turned back to Ethan. "I just missed you."

He took a shaky breath, and let it out. "I missed you too." He smiled at her, still seeming short of breath. "Wow."

"So, did you want to go to the beach?" She grabbed his hand, not bothering to tell him that a good amount of her lipstick was now on his face.

He laughed a little. "Why not?" He squeezed her hand, and they set down the path.

All eyes were on them when they arrived at the beach. About half of the girls were clustered around where Sirena was sitting. Colin was nowhere in sight. Gracie was glaring at her, and Mackenzie looked like Adele had personally wronged her.

Andrew, with his arm around Christine hooted at them, and they walked up behind them. "Lipstick isn't flattering on you, brother." He teased, socking Ethan on the shoulder. "Looked better on you, Lady Adele." He winked at them, before continuing on. Ethan quickly wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, blushing. He looked tentatively at her. Adele felt her heart beat up. He was so sweet, so gentle. And the way he looked at her, it made her feel beautiful. He might not have as much spirit as Colin, but at least he wasn't irritating.

…

"Okay, everyone's gone." Lissa whispered, crawling out from behind the tree in the gardens. Wesley began scrambling down from the branches of the tree.

"Awesome. Good thing my mom's not here either. She would kill us!" He grabbed her hand.

"So what do you want to do?" Lissa asked him.

"Be with you." He smirked at her. "With everyone else at the beach. And no one will freak out or start a gossip and get you sent home."

Lissa frowned. "Me too."

"It should be easy. I mean, before he got married, Andrew would hook up with all the maids, and once I caught Michelle making out with one of the guards."

"I never heard about that!" Lissa poked him in the ribs.

"Well, I never told anyone. I just used it as a threat to get her to do things for me and so she wouldn't tell on me. It was pretty awesome."

"You're hopeless!"

"Yeah. I get that a lot." Wesley went quiet and pulled at the grass. "I guess because you're supposed to be here for Ethan is the problem."

"I've spoken to him like five times." Lissa reminded him.

"I don't think he would mind. But others would. It would cause too many…problems."

"You mean because…I'm a Seven?"

Wesley looked at her sharply. "I don't care what you are or what you did. I'm in love with you, not your past." He reached for her hand.

"But not everyone thinks that way…" Lissa gazed off over the ocean.

"Not me. Hey, I want to show you something. Close your eyes!" Wesley smiled impishly.

"Okay." Lissa shut her eyes. "Where are we going?"

As fast as one may do it, he planted a kiss square on her lips for just a second. Lissa squealed, opening her eyes.

"I thought you wanted to wait!"

"I had enough of that!"

"Well, you could have warned me! That was my first kiss! I-"

Wesley grabbed her waist, and pulled her to him, and kissed her again, with the same cheeky, brusque manner.

"That was your second one!" He teased. Lissa swatted playfully at him, and he dashed off, an impudent grin on his face. Lissa grabbed handfuls of her dress and hiked it to her knees, and chased him.

"Oh no you don't!" She cried. He jumped up on a bench and then leapt dramatically off, flapping his arms and hooting idiotically.

"Only if you catch me!" He yelled, running through the deserted gardens to a fountain. He jumped up on the wide stone brim, taunting Lissa. He rushed to the other side just as she climbed up on the brim, so about five feet of water and the spouting center separated them.

They ended up chasing each other around the circle until they were laughing so hard they both stopped, still on opposite sides.

"Okay, I give up. Truce." Lissa said, out of breath. "I mean, it was a kiss. It wasn't horrible."

"Far from it." Wesley sauntered over to her, grinning.

"We could have another go if you want."

"Okay." Wesley smirked and leaned in to kiss her, but just as he did so, Lissa shoved him backwards, straight into the fountain. He came up sputtering.

"Love you!" Lissa cackled, laughing so hard she didn't realize what Wesley was doing as he stood up until he pulled her into the fountain with him.

"Wesley!" She shrieked.

"Love you too!" He laughed, flopping down in the water next to her, under the arch of water spraying them both. "But it was just a kiss! Don't you think pushing me into the fountain was a little uncalled for?"

"Well, you deserved it. And besides…I wanted to be, you know, ready."

"When you're kissing the right person, it's easy. Not that I'd know, though….I've never kissed anyone either."

"Really? I find that a little hard to believe. You're a prince!"

"I also happen to be quite sheltered." Wesley shrugged. "So besides the two a few minutes ago…yeah."

Lissa put her hand on the back of his neck, and pulled his face down to hers and their lips met. Neither of them had much idea what they were doing, so Wesley pulled away after a moment.

"Are you blushing, your highness?" Lissa teased, knowing her own face was flaming.

"You just have that effect on me, Lady Lissa. You make my head spin." He stood up, and wrung the water out of his shirt, before reaching out to help her up. "You also make me fall into fountains. Which is okay, I mean. You certainly make up for it."

…

**Okay, some Wessa fluff for all you hard core shippers, as well as some extra stuff. While I usually try to get to 2500, I've been stopping at 2000 lately. Next chapter should be longer. And prepare yourselves now. **

**Thank you all for sticking with me! Don't forget to review and tell me the song you can't stop listening to at the moment!**

**Fly like an eagle, and laugh when you make a complete fool of yourself!**

**-Shades**


	63. Fighting Chance

**The Story: Sometimes you question your sanity when its midnight and you and your sister are discussing which actors and friends would make good centaurs…(you know, the horse-man thing)**

**Anyway, shout out to my reveiwers! **Lady Anj, delovlies, fairy not princess (**x2**), Smiley face, 4Love4Love4, PrincessSwim, majestictales, Demigod-Gallagher-Selected **and **UltimateMaxmericaShipper. **And a huge round of applause to **majestictales **for leaving me pretty much the most fantastic review ever. You're the best! **

**I went a little different in this chapter, and did some pretty erratic POV changes, to try out a new style. I usually hate it when stories start out like that, but I think that you've all gotten to know the characters well enough by now to not get confused. Also, I just want to make it clear, I've been writing Adele a lot lately and in this chapter, but certain things have to take place with her before I can move on, so yeah. **

…

"You guys ever heard of sardines?" Wesley waltzed out onto the terrace, where everyone was enjoying the sunset. The king and queen were still on their press tour, leaving the Selected and the royal children in Trentworth with no cameras, no rules, and each other.

"What, like the fish in a can?" Sirena asked, her eyebrows drawing together as she turned around in her chair.

Ethan groaned. "Oh, no. Not that game again." He face-palmed.

"Isn't it like hide and seek?" Gracie piped up. "But like opposite?"

"No, it's hide in a closet for two hours with your siblings who didn't even want to play in the first place while the youngest one who is the only one who actually wants to play can't find you." Ethan complained. Andrew and Michelle laughed as they recalled the event. "Wes, we are not playing that."

"Aw, come on, Ethan. Mom and Dad will be home tomorrow and then it's back to prim and proper."

"There are way too many of us!"

"It's a big house!" Wesley fired back. "Besides, it'll be fun."

"I'll play." Lissa stood up, feeling many pairs of eyes on her. She hoped none of them would catch on.

"Yeah, it sounds fun." Nat agreed. "I'll help you hobble." She teased Sirena, whose ankle was still bandaged.

"We'll hide first." Andrew volunteered, meaning him and Christine, since they hardly ever left each other's sides, and no one tried to make them.

"Okay, well don't forget about the game and start kissing or something." Michelle stood up, joining most of the Selected girls.

"Whatever. I guess I'll play." Mackenzie rolled her eyes.

"Ethan? Care to spend some quality time with the girlfriends?" Wesley joked, raising his eyebrows suggestively.

"C'mon, Ethan! It'll be fun!" Gracie grabbed his arm, and bounced on her toes.

Ethan held up his hands in surrender. "Okay, okay, fine. I'll play. Let's make a rule that bedrooms are off limits."

"And turn out all the lights. It'll be more fun that way." Nat added, since it was almost dark out anyway.

"Alright. You guys wait out here a few minutes. And then spilt up and go hunting." Andrew grabbed his wife's hand, and they ran inside, Christine giggling.

Wesley sent a maid to turn out all the lights inside, and they all milled anxiously outside on the terrace.

"Okay, I think that's long enough. Everyone ready?" Wesley announced. He winked discreetly at Lissa as she pulled off her high heels. "Go!" He bolted into the estate, throwing open the doors. In a flurry of giggles, the others followed, splitting up through the different levels of Trentworth. Lissa followed Wesley to the second floor, giggling as they threw open closets and checked behind doors.

"You're really the best, you know that?" Lissa whispered, as Wesley grabbed her hand and tiptoed up to the third floor, creeping up the stairs like a ninja. The third level was only half the size of the first two, housing only two suites, for the king and queen, and Andrew and Christine.

"Yeah, I know." Wesley said as they came to the landing. Like the second floor, there was a small sitting area with two window seats separating the two doors leading to the separate suites. Empty.

"Shoot, they're not up here." A look of pure panic was set in Wesley's eyes as he turned and ran down the stairs.

"It's not a matter of life or death!" Lissa called after him, loving how into the game he was.

Back on the second level, chaos was in full swing. Girls were everywhere, running up and down stairs, and out onto the balcony. On the first floor, in the dining room, they found Katherine and Ethan teamed up and sneaking up to a large window half covered by an enormous length of curtain. Katherine waved Lissa over and motioned for her to be quiet. The four pretended to be seeking, until all the girls had left the room, before Ethan and Wesley swept the curtains aside to reveal Andrew and Christine, entwined, trying really hard to laugh.

"How are we all going to hide under that?" Wesley whined in a whisper tone.

"Cuddle." Andrew responded cheekily.

"Gross." Wesley responded, curling his lip in overly feigned disgust.

"Someone's coming!" Katherine hissed, and in a second, they all ended up under the curtains, holding their breaths to keep from laughing. A second later, Elvira swept the curtain aside, eyebrows raised.

"Wow, clever." She mocked, joining them. By the time Michaela, Amber, and Amelia had found them, the curtain was starting to look pretty suspicious, so they sent the three to the other side of the window. Rory, Nat, and Sirena were told to hide under the dining room table, where the long table cloth would hide them, but they laughed too much that Nicole, Felicity, and Autumn soon found them.

"Oh my gosh, I hate this stupid game!" They heard Mackenzie exclaim. "I give up!"

They all burst into laughter, and a second later, Adele and Michelle joined them as they found them. Cordelia came in silently, until they could only hear Gracie and Mackenzie yelling at them. Finally, Gracie discovered them, and Mackenzie was overly irritated when she finally located them.

Katherine, who had found them first, went next, and they played round after round, the hiding places getting more and more elaborate. Wesley climbed up onto one of the chandeliers, Nat hid in one of the fire places, and Elvira waited until everyone was looking and went back out onto the terrace where they started each round.

For a while, the Selection was forgotten. They were just a bunch of near adults getting to be kids again for a few hours, and act like idiots in a fancy house. It was awesome.

…

Adele slipped into a closet off the second floor's hallway, thinking that while everyone else was hiding elaborately, she might as well go simple. She backed into the corner, and sat down to wait.

A few minutes later, the door opened, revealing Colin, of all people. Adele stood up.

"What are you doing?" She demanded.

"Sirena invited me to play. Clever hiding spot by the way. Real creative." He sat down next to her. Adele rolled her eyes.

"Do you have to be so annoying? I was trying to choose a spot no one would think because it was too easy."

"Wouldn't have to do with the fact you and I spent a few minutes in here hiding from Prince Ethan, now would it?"

"Have I ever told you you're annoying?"

"Yes."

Infuriated, Adele balled up her fists, and chose to remain silent. For a while. "So Sirena invited you to play? How sweet."

"Someone's jealous."

Adele scoffed. "Of what? Her? Why should I be jealous of her? She got hurt and had to deal with _you _helping her out."

"So you only made out with Prince Ethan in front of us for the sake of making out?"

"Yes." Adele raised her chin in the air. "Sounds like _you're _jealous now."

"Sounds like you have a problem with control." Colin fired back. "I totally get it but-"

"Out there, someone wants to listen to you. Go annoy them." Adele interrupted. Colin went silent. She crossed her arms. "And I don't have a problem with control." She muttered, looking away. He just laughed at her. "I'm serious. I just don't like-"

"When things don't go your way?"

"I never said that. And you were never part of my _way_. And why do you always seem to be wherever I am? Are you following me or something?"

Colin shrugged. "I don't know. I just…"

The door to the closet opened, and Adele saw Nicole's silhouette. She gasped, and broke into a grin, before checking behind her, and joining them.

"Great hiding spot. People are looking out on the roof for you."

"Yeah, I figured no one would go simple." Adele couldn't help but dart a glance at Colin as if to prove her point.

"How did you-" Adele began, but she stopped suddenly. "Did you hear that? It sounded like someone screaming."

"We've been screaming this whole game." Nicole pointed out. "It's probably just-" She was cut off by another scream. But it wasn't the lighthearted squeal of someone caught up in the game. It sounded like someone in terror. And then, two gunshots.

…

The sound was unmistakable. Gunshots.

Katherine froze, alone in the dining room, right by the front doors, her heart slamming in her chest. _Gunshots? Why would there be gunshots here? We're safe here. No one's supposed to know we're here._ She tried to stack the possibilities against this happening, but it was no use. She was transported back to the night of the masquerade, smoke everywhere, bodies beyond count, and the never ending sound of screaming. _Rebels. _

_Come on, Kate. Get it together. You have to help them. You have to help yourself! You have to be strong. _

Another firing of gunshots, and more screams. She was trapped in here. As if in a daze, she watched four men, all dressed in dingy, dark colored clothing charge by the dining room, not noticing her, guns drawn. She heard returning gunfire, probably from the guards. She crept closer to the door, and peeked out. Three guards were now firing at the rebels, who were taking cover behind the marble pillars that supported the loft part of the second floor. She could see Autumn and Felicity hiding at one end of a sofa. It offered only cover from the bullets, not from the rebels. They were both in tears. She saw Adele, Nicole, and the palace worker who Sirena had insisted play sardines with them appear on the loft, overlooking the first floor.

_Where is everyone else? _They were probably hiding, since they had just spend the last several hours doing just so.

She spotted movement, and turned. Out on the terrace out the window, two more guards were guarding Michelle, Andrew, and Christine, pulling them further away.

She heard the front doors open, and caught sight of two more rebels enter. She ducked back inside the dining room, pressing her back against the wall, and edged her way to the window, hoping they would just bypass her. She slipped behind the curtain, where Andrew and Christine had been earlier, careful to stay pressed against the wall, not the glass. _How did they just walk inside the front doors? _

"I saw someone in here." Katherine froze.

"Well go check it out." A voice responded, closer this time. One of the rebels was in here. In here with her.

…

"No. No. Not again." Lissa realized what was happening. The rebels were attacking. Only this time, they weren't outside in the gardens, away from it all. They were on the first floor. She saw the rebels step through the glass of the broken front doors, just before Wesley grabbed her, and yanked her down the hall. He threw open a door, leading to a bathroom, and they ran inside, and he locked the door behind them.

"I don't think a lock is going to stop a gun." Lissa whispered into the darkness. Gunshots seemed to come from everywhere outside.

"It's not." Wesley grabbed for her hand. "But it's the best we can do."

Lissa started crying. "Are we going to die in here?" She couldn't help it anymore. She was so scared.

"Hey, it's okay. It's going to be okay." Wesley wrapped her in a hug. "I'm not leaving you." Lissa buried her face in the crook of his neck, her shoulders heaving in sobs. "Look at me." Wesley tipped her chin up to face him with the tip of his fingers. In the darkness, she could barely make out his features.

"You have to be strong. I know you're scared. I'm scared too. But we have to be strong. Because as long as I have you, I'm okay. And I won't let them take that away from me. Okay?"

Lissa nodded, and took a deep breath. They sat down on the tile, leaning against the wall. There was nothing left to do but wait.

…

Adele, Colin, and Nicole were trapped. Upon hearing the gunshots, they bolted from the closet to the loft overlooking the first floor. Everyone seemed to be hiding—or dead. But the rebels had seen them, and two had come charging up the stairs.

"I hope you have a plan." Adele cried as the three bolted back, away from the stairs.

"I was hoping you did." Colin responded.

"Shut up, and follow me." Nicole ran down to her room, and threw open the door. "Hurry!" She ran across the room to the French doors leading out onto the wrap-around balcony, Colin and Adele right behind her. She turned to the stairs at the other end, but a grubby man in black was already charging up them. They turned the other way, to the other stairs at the other side, only to be met with a guard, yelling at them to get out of there.

Colin grabbed the girls and pulled them into Nicole's room, and the guard fired at the rebel. He fell.

"Colin!" The guard yelled. "You have to get them out of here."

"Where?"

"There are cars by the servant's entrance around back. They'll be safe there, they'll be taken-"

The crackle of gunfire exploded around them, and a bullet tore into the man's chest. He fell, already dead. Adele and Nicole both screamed. They saw another rebel coming up the stairs just his partner had done before he was shot. Colin grabbed the slain guard's gun, and fired back at him.

"Run!" He cried, motioning to the other stairs at the other end of the balcony, before running the opposite way, toward the living rebel. Just as they had done during the masquerade attack, Nicole and Adele took off.

Adele didn't get very far. Before she could even pass Nicole's room, something—or someone—grabbed her ankle and pulled her to the ground. It was the rebel that the guard had shot, the one who they had thought was dead. She tried to scream, but he covered her mouth his one bloodstained hand, and with the other, twisted her arm around her back, pinning her against his bullet ridden torso. Hot blood leaked onto her gown. Adele struggled, but he was too strong.

"Thought you'd get away, did ya now?" He whispered, his voice cruel. Trembling, Adele watched Nicole disappear down the stairs at the other end, hopefully to safety. Colin and the other rebel had both seemed to run out of ammo, and were now fighting with their bare hands.

Adele kicked wildly, wishing she hadn't ditched her heels hours ago. They would make a pretty good weapon right now. She tried to scream, tried to fight but nothing she did was good enough. Colin was right. She hated not being in control.

She watched as the rebel knocked him to the ground, and then she remembered the way he had unlaced his little brother's shoes and made him smile, even if it was the only time that day. And how he had walked her back to Trentworth that night even though he would have to walk back. And that even though he was mind numbingly irritating, when he carried Sirena when she was hurt, Adele thought she was going to explode. She wouldn't let this get in the way.

She bit the rebel's hand as hard as she could, and slammed her head back into his chin. It was all she needed. First, she screamed bloody murder, because of all the fear pent up in her in the last minute or two. The man's hand hold lost its strength, and she thrashed around until she was free.

"Adele!" Colin glanced back at her, surprised to see that she was still there. "Get out of here!"

"Looks like you could use some help." She yelled back. He was holding his own, but he wasn't a very good fighter.

She probably should have thought about what she was doing. She probably should have stuffed the act and ran away crying. But she was an actress, and she was so scared she didn't have time to think.

She literally jumped on the back of the rebel that Colin was fighting, hoping the other one was too injured to pose a threat. Caught by surprise, the rebel stumbled. Colin punched him in the face, and he toppled over, groaning. Adele fell with him.

"Get out of here!" Colin yelled at her, as he pulled her up by her arm.

"A simple thank you would suffice." Adele brushed her dress off, then saw the bloodstains from the first rebel. Colin saw them too.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, it's from him. He grabbed my ankle and wouldn't let me go." She nodded to the first rebel, who had slumped down, eyes glazed over. Adele shivered, remembering the feel of his clammy skin on her arms. Colin jogged over to the fallen guard, and quickly found more ammo. He reloaded his gun.

"What about him?" She pointed to the second rebel, who lay on the balcony. He was still alive, but appeared to be unconscious.

"He's not a threat now. Let's just get you to safety." He grabbed her arm, and pulled her away from the carnage.

Too late.

…

**Once again, this will be split into two parts, combined with my plans for the next chapter. I just write way too much. Literally, it's all I've done all day. **

**Oh, and please review!**

**-Shades**


	64. Fixing Something That Was Never Broken

**The Story: So almost every time I go to post a chapter, I always forget to upload the document first, and have to go out of "manage stories" to "Doc manager" Everytime. **

**Again, I tried to be intense and do some rapid POV switches to build tension, and I left little italics to let you know whose POV it is. **

**Hugs to my reviewers! **4Love4Love4, fairy not princess, UltimateMaxmericaShipper, majestictales, delovlies, LadyAnj, **and welcome back** perksofbeingminho, the-ravenclaw-phangirl**! Also special shoutout to **xSapphireLynx **for your sweet PM!**

**This picks up right at last chapter! **

…

_Nat_

It had all happened so quickly, it was over before it even began. But those few minutes felt like a lifetime to Nat. She was on the first floor when the first rebels entered. Gracie and Sirena were nearby as well as they looked for Adele. They were in the main living room, furthest away from the front doors. Nat watched in horror as two guards who were posted nearby were shot dead as they rushed to take down the intruders. Even after they had fallen, their radios continued to squawk with reports of rebels on the grounds.

Both Gracie and Sirena had screamed in terror upon seeing what was happening, giving away their position. Nat heard returning gunfire—presumably from the guards—and saw one of the four fall. A horrible though overcame her. Ben. He was no an enemy of the monarchy. She could watch him die in front of her, killed by the very men who were protecting her.

There wasn't much time to dwell on it, though, because one of the rebels had seen them, and ran towards them. Instinctively, she looked for a weapon. Nothing, unless she wanted to throw a sofa or a throw pillow at him.

"Just tell me where the king and queen are and no one gets hurt." He growled at them.

"They're not here." Gracie squeaked out.

"I know you're lying. Tell the truth, or learn the hard way." The man spoke through gritted teeth, advancing closer. Nat could see Gracie trembling, and tears spilled down her cheeks. She knew she wasn't much better.

"She's not lying. She's telling the truth." Sirena stepped in front of Gracie, hands on her hips, although Nat saw her chin quiver. The rebel grabbed Sirena's shoulders and shook her. She lost her balance with her sprained ankle, and fell against him with a cry.

"Listen, you! Just tell me where they are before I shoot all of you." He yelled.

…

_Katherine_

Katherine held her breath, too scared to even breathe. Through a small, worn place in the curtain, she could see a man dressed in dirty, threadbare clothes, holding his gun up cautiously, tentatively moving around the room. He turned halfway towards her, and she could see that he was barely as old as her, maybe even younger. He was thin, looking almost malnourished, with light hair, and even lighter skin. His hands shook ever so slightly from time to time. He scanned the side of the room she was on, his eyes stopping on the curtain. She might have closed her eyes, if she wasn't so scared.

Slowly, the boy approached, gun still drawn. He swept the curtain aside, revealing Katherine. She sucked in a breath, and slowly raised her hands in the air. He swallowed hard, keeping his finger on the trigger, ready to kill her.

For nearly a minute, neither of them said anything.

"Please don't shoot." Katherine whispered. She jumped as the boy shoved the gun even closer to her, his hands shaking wildly.

"Don't move!" The command was in a whisper, but his voice still seemed high pitched. "You're one of the Selected girls?"

Katherine nodded, trying to keep still.

"We were told to shoot you if we found you in our way. But we're after the royals. Do you know where they are?"

Katherine shook her head. "The king and queen aren't here."

The boy muttered a curse. "Where are they?" He demanded, keeping his voice low.

_The palace in Angeles. They're at the palace in Angeles. _But she lifted her chin ever so slightly. "I don't know. I think they're in route here." It was the best she could come up with.

The boy stared at her for a moment, his trigger finger twitching from time to time. Finally, she lowered his gun, and bolted from the room without a word.

…

_Adele_

A third rebel was blocking their path. He was bleeding from a wound on his shoulder, and his face was streaked with blood and grime. He leveled a gun at Colin and Adele.

"You're not going anywhere." His voice was surprisingly calm for his appearance.

"We're of no use to you." Colin began, stepping in front of Adele. "Please, we just work here. We want change as much as the next citizen-"

The man hit Colin across his face with the butt of his gun. Adele jumped, covering her mouth with her hands. Reeling, Colin half-stumbled against her, blood gushing from his nose. "What was that for? I can help you!" He exclaimed, wincing again. Adele's stomach tightened with fear. Was he really on her side?

"Shut up. I don't know who you are, but she's one of the Selected girls." The rebel wasn't having any of it. "We didn't come to kill them, but maybe one would make a point." A cruel smile spread across his face.

"Look, killing one innocent girl won't prove anything except you're monsters. You think the king will listen to you then?" Colin wiped the blood from his nose. "There are other ways to change things."

"Nothing's going to change until the monarchs are dead." The rebel sneered. "And you're right. Killing her won't do much. But taking her as a hostage might." He stepped forward. Adele wanted to run, but she knew she wouldn't get very far.

"Leave her alone." Colin spoke through gritted teeth. "She's not a threat to you." He held the gun he had taken from the dead guard up, his hands shaking.

"Yes, but now you are. Put that down before someone gets hurt. "

…

_Nat_

"Those were not your orders. You're wasting time." A new voice interrupted them. Although it wasn't entirely unfamiliar. Ben stood in the doorway to the room, aiming a pistol at his comrade. The rebel turned with a sneer.

"Why not? It won't hurt anything if they're dead. It might even help."

"You've wasted enough time already. The mission was to kill the king and queen, and leave the Selected alone. They're just civilians."

"You've always protected them. I don't think you're entirely loyal." The man spat. "Besides, these wrenches say they're not here."

Ben's eyes met Nat's. "Is that true?"

She could only nod.

"Alright. Then we need to get out." His eyes locked to hers for a moment, and then he grabbed his radio of his belt. "Get your men out of here. They're not here. Abort, I repeat, abort."

The first man ran out of the room, only to be shot by an unseen guard, and fall to the ground with a cry. Ben cursed, and then darted after him. He disappeared out of sight. Nat could only hope he made it out.

…

_Katherine_

For a moment, Katherine stood frozen. Then, the shock wore off, and she was gasping in great, heaving breaths as dizziness rushed over her. She tried to control of her breathing, but she couldn't stop shaking. Feeling cold all over, she stepped out into the dining room, and crept to the door. She peeked out. Felicity and Autumn were gone. She didn't see anyone, and it was oddly silent. She looked down the hall, towards where the terrace faced the beach, and saw three dead guards and five dead rebels, judging by their clothes. She heard two gunshots from that direction, close. She decided to head back into the dining room to hide, when a voice stopped her.

"Kate?"

She turned at the whisper, knowing only one person would call her that. She turned around to see Ethan, standing in the hallway leading down the terrace to the beach. He looked exhausted, and there was blood on his shirt, and a gun in his hand. She blinked, hoping he wouldn't disappear. She ran towards him, half expecting any minute to see him shot and killed in front of her. When she reached him, she threw her arms around him, then pulled back suddenly when he winced.

"Are you hurt?" She asked.

"A little. A bullet clipped my arm. Bled more than it hurts." His fingers traced the outline of her face, as if she might break. "But, are you okay?"

Katherine nodded, even though she still felt dizzy, like if he got too far away from her, she wouldn't have the strength to walk. Her hands were shaky, and she was suddenly exhausted. But she had to be strong. She had never really been that before, but it was time to change. "What are you doing out here?" She asked.

Ethan slipped out of his jacket, and draped it over her shoulders. "Looking for you. A lot of the guards were killed, or their fighting out front. Elvira went looking for Wesley, and I came for you." He put his hands on her shoulders, and held her close. Leaning down, he kissed her softly, smoothing his thumb over her collarbone. "We should get out of here."

"Where did everyone else go?"

"Most of them are down in the basement, in the kitchens. You were one of the last." They began walking to the stairs to the basement. "Many of the girls were looking for Adele in the basement when this started, so that was good. The guards got all the rest. But no one has found Adele yet. Nicole said she was with her, but they got separated. And Lissa and my brother are gone, too."

Katherine tried not to look at the dead bodies of the rebels as they passed. Occasionally, she would see a guard.

"They decided to enter through the front doors. Most of them were shot before they even got inside, and once they did, there wasn't anywhere to go." He came to a stop in front of the body of a rebel, face down, across from a guard. "I had to watch two men die, Kate. He was just a kid." Ethan shuddered, and took a deep breath. "He saw me. I was looking for you. He shot at me, but it just clipped me. The guard that was with me fired at him, the same time he fired, and now they're both dead." His voice shook more and more, and Katherine watched his eyes fill with tears. She looked back at the body, recognizing the jacket and the hair.

It was the boy, who had spared her life just a few minutes ago.

…

_Adele_

"I know you live in town, boy. I know you have a family." The rebel continued, a malicious gleam in his eye. Colin locked his jaw. "They depend on you. You're not use to them dead." He aimed his gun at Colin. "You know why we found out the royals were hiding out here? Because you took her into town, and our spies saw you."

Adele and Colin exchanged a glance of surprise. The rebel laughed at them, a cruel, mocking laugh.

"Jump." Colin murmured out the side of his mouth, his eyes flicking to the balcony railing.

Caught off guard, Adele furrowed her brow. "What?"

"Jump!" He yelled, before slamming his fist into the rebel's face. "Ow!" It took Adele a moment to figure out what was happening. She scrambled over the railing, and tried to climb down, but ended up falling. She hit the ground, and the air whooshed out of her lungs. For a moment, she lay there, gasping for air until she could finally breathe again.

She heard several gunshots, and she involuntarily shrieked. "Colin!" She yelled. She saw him up on the balcony in one second, and the next, a gun went off, and he was falling. She screamed again, not knowing what else to do. He hit the ground from two stories up, and lay there, so still.

…

_Katherine_

"Let's go." Katherine said, tugging on Ethan's arm. He refused to budge. "Ethan, come on." Finally, he came with her.

As they rounded a corner, they saw Lissa and Wesley dart back into a room they had come from.

"Oh, it's Ethan." Katherine heard Wesley say, and she didn't miss the fact that he quickly dropped Lissa's hand.

"Wes!" Ethan cried. "How about letting us know you're alive!" He groaned exasperatedly, and then gave Wesley an unexpected hug. After a moment Wesley returned it, a little caught off guard.

"What happened?" Wesley asked.

"Not much. Just a lot of noise. Most of them were killed before they got it. The guards trapped them by the stairs."

"Is everyone okay?" Lissa asked. Ethan glanced between the two of them, and then responded.

"Yeah, a lot of the girls were in the basement when it happened. It all happened so fast, that those that weren't hid and the guards shot all those who got in."

"They're going to have to do a lot more than send in a dozen men if they're trying to kill us." Wesley pumped his fists excitedly.

"Mom and Dad weren't even here." Ethan said offhandedly.

"But their schedule is not exactly in the newspapers." Wesley reminded him. Katherine decided to keep the information the now dead boy had told her. Ethan was already upset. She'd tell him some other time.

"There you guys are!" They turned to see Elvira, coming towards them, with a gun in her hand, looking tough even in a dress. "Throwing a party, or what? C'mon, you need to get to the basement. The king is on his way."

"What about the rest of the rebels?"

"He'll stay at the airport until the situation is contained."

"Is it safe?" Lissa asked as they followed Elvira to the stairs.

"I don't know."  
…

_Adele_

"No, no, no, no." It was all Adele could think of to say as she ran over to where Colin had fallen. She fell to her knees at his side, bending over his still form. "Why did you do that for me? I'm nobody." There was no response. He just lay there, eyes closed, not moving, blood still smeared on his face from his broken nose. "You have a family. They depend on you. Your brother, he needs you." She teared up, and realizing she was shaking his shoulder. "Wake up." She squeaked out. "Colin, wake up. Please." She shook his shoulder more roughly. "No!" Her voice grew to yell. She started to really cry now. "You showed me a whole world out there I didn't know. You gave me something to believe in. And you saved my life." A strangled sob forced its way through. "And now you're dead."

His eyes opened, and he smiled that irritating, smart alec smirk. "Not quite." He tried to sit up, but stopped, wincing. "Damn, that hurts." He hissed.

Adele gasped. "Colin! You're not dead!" She stated the obvious, not quite knowing what else to say.

"I may be soon." He grimaced. "Sorry, I think I missed some of your impassioned speech. Falling off balconies tends to mess with your consciousness for a little bit. And then I didn't want to interrupt you-"

"What?!" Adele shrieked. She didn't know whether to be angry or overjoyed. "So you pretended to be dead?"

He smirked. "Maybe."

"Are you okay, though? Can you walk? I don't think it's safe out here." She glanced around the gardens, dark except for the landscape lighting. Another rebel with a gun could be anywhere.

"My legs are fine. My nose hurts a lot." He gingerly wiped away more blood. "And my arm." It was at an awkward angle. "I think I landed on it. It's kind of numb." He sat up, and then looked at Adele with an afterthought. "Sheesh, didn't you even bother to check if I was breathing?"

Adele felt color creep up into her cheeks. "No, sorry, I was kind of freaking out." He did that annoying smirk again, and shook his head. She helped him stand up. "But thanks, for, you know, saving my life and all. But never do that again."

"What, save your life?"

"No, pretend you're dead."

"Aw, come on. It was pretty funny."

"Maybe for you." Adele shot back.

Colin shook out his other hand, and she saw his knuckles were bruised. "I honestly I had no clue what I was doing. And punching someone hurts a lot more than I thought. Hey, what happened to the other guy?"

Adele finally remembered, and looked up. Elvira was standing up on the balcony, gun in hand, leaning over one of the three bodies, making sure they were dead.

"Didn't want to interrupt. But you guys need to get to cover. The guards haven't secured everything" She called, waving. Adele grinned, and waved back.

"Looks like you got saved by a girl." She teased.

"Yeah, but she's a soldier. I'm not."

"You weren't really scared of them, were you?"

Colin shrugged. "Nah." He said, false bravado pervading his voice. He looked sideways at her, and shoved his hands in his pockets. "But I am pretty scared of you." He added.

"Well don't be!" She almost reached for his hand on impulse, but then remembered he was hurt. And besides, Elvira had met them on the terrace.

"Is everything okay?" She asked.

"Oh. Yeah. I mean no. No. This man saved my life. And he's beat up pretty bad." Adele fumbled for words, not wanting Elvira to suspect anything. _Not that there is anything to suspect, of course. _"What about here? What happened to the rebels?"

"They only sent a small force in. The guards cleaned them out pretty quickly. The inside is secured, but not the grounds. They had reinforcements. You need to get inside. Everyone's in the kitchens." They followed her inside.

…

**Whew, okay, that was intense! I found the whole soundtrack to Titanic in my music I downloaded a while ago, so blame that for overly mushy/dramatic sequences. Next chapter will be another big one! But thanks for sticking with me! Have another cheesy word of advice: It's not about being the best, it's about being better than you were yesterday. In other words, update, my friends!**

**Seize the day.**

**-Shades**


	65. Angel Come To Save Me

**The Story: That feeling you get when you FINALLY get to write a scene you've been waiting forever to finally get to, but not feeling the timing is right, because you're not listening to the right song and it's not raining and you haven't experienced an event like this yet in your life either, but writing it anyway. This chapter has two scenes I've been waiting forever to write!**

**Huge round of applause to my reviewers for getting me this far. Love you guys so much! But these guys were from last chaper: **delovlies, 4Love4Love4, majestictales, the5SOS-YAfangirl (**x5 :P), **LadyAnj, Smiley face, PrincessSwim, fairy not princess, **and **Perksofbeingminho.

**So I know I've been writing Nat (and Adele) a lot lately, but like I said before, these things have to happen now to further the plot. I promise, I'll get to the others soon! Like next chapter! Yeah. So this finally happened. **

…

Either he was coming, or he wasn't. Either he was dead, or he was alive. Nat sat cross legged on her bed, fiddling with the comforter. It was hard to believe this was going to be the last night she spent at Trentworth. They'd been here for almost two months, and up until a few hours ago, almost every moment had been wonderful. It had been a vacation, in its own right. Away from cameras, often away from the royals, and of course, the beach. But it was all over tomorrow.

The king had flown from the palace an hour earlier, once everything had been secured, and had declared it was time to make the move back. It was definitely secure, as well as livable. He had been planning for them to go back soon. New safe rooms had been built, under the palace in an old storage facility, as well as into the walls, so in the event of another rebel attack, they would hopefully remain safe.

The girls had been taken to the kitchens, in the basement, while the bodies of slain rebels and guards a like had been removed, and the blood cleaned up. Then they had been dismissed to their rooms, although they were told not to go out onto the balcony. It was late, but Nat knew she would sleep tomorrow on the trip. She had to wait up for someone. Hopefully.

She had dozed off, but the sound of someone tapping softly on the glass doors to the balcony woke her. She jumped up, and unlocked them, and practically melted into Ben's arms.

"You made it." She whispered.

"I'm sorry. I should have warned you. But there was no way I could get away last night." He wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her so tightly she could scarcely breathe. "But you're okay."

"What happened? The attack was so fast, and they didn't know the king and queen weren't here."

"There were reinforcements hiding in the woods. But I didn't call them once you confirmed it. They wanted to make a point, to prove that they would not be overcome. That they knew you all were here. To scare you all into going home, and take control without the king and queen there. But it failed."

"How bad?"

"Me and two other guys got out. Everyone else died. Most of them were just kids." He sighed deeply, and then looked at Nat, his eyes haunted and scared. He leaned down and kissed her feverishly, his fingers tracing down her spine through the thin material of her nightgown. Nat kissed him back with equal passion, trying to loose herself and forget the nightmare of earlier.

A knock on her door facing the inside startled them both, and they jumped apart.

"We're leaving tomorrow. Back to the palace." Nat blurted out in a whisper. Ben looked at her with wide eyes. "I just thought you should know. Now hide!" She grabbed her robe, and messed up her hair a bit to make it look like she had been sleeping.

"I'll try to see if I can get reassigned closer to the palace or something." Ben slipped out onto the balcony, giving her a final wave. Nat waved back, and she went to answer the door. A maid, who looked just as scared and tired as she curtsied.

"Prince Ethan requests your presence, Lady Natalia." She said. "He says the matter is very important."

…

It eventually would have come to this.

Ethan drummed his pencil on the many times scribbled over paper as he waited for Nat. He just hadn't realized his father would make the decision, or that it would be so soon. _It's not even half of them. It's just six girls. Surely you can eliminate six girls and get to the Elite. _

But his father wouldn't be happy. He thought back to a few minutes earlier, in his father's office. They had all been informed before being released to their rooms that they would be leaving for the palace in the morning after breakfast for safety reasons. Now six girls wouldn't be going there, but home instead.

"_It's time to cut to the Elite, Ethan. You've drawn this out long enough. With all these attacks we cannot afford to have anyone extraneous." King Jackson rifled through a folder on his desk. "I've spoken with your mother on who she thinks you should choose and-"_

"_Do I get a say in it?" Ethan interrupted. _

_King Jackson looked up from his papers and glared at Ethan. "I think it would be wise to listen to our council." He found the paper he had been looking for, and removed it from the folder. "Now your mother isn't fond of lady Lissa, but it seems the people love her Besides, she's from a low caste and that shows some kindness on our part. Other than that, I urge you to pick largely from the upper castes. They're tasteful. Except Lady Sirena. She's far too wild. But Lady Elvira comes from an excellent family, and Lady Mackenzie has several followers. She's a very lovely girl. One I could see being princess one day." _

_Ethan stiffened. Mackenzie had pounced on him the other night. He had been looking forward to sending her home, not marrying her. "But-"_

_King Jackson continued, ignoring him. "Lady Rory and Lady Cordelia are famous, and they have a large fan base and good status. Lady Amber is a good choice as well. Now, as for the lower castes, to show a little diversity. Send home one of the twins, there's no need to be repetitive. Lady Autumn and Lady Felicity are both very demure and polite, like Lady Amber. That's a quality a princess needs to have. And Lady Amelia is quite intelligent, but she doesn't feel the need to cause a scene like some of the others." He looked up at Ethan. "I trust you have listened well. Send the rest home at breakfast tomorrow." _

_Ethan had only nodded numbly, before retreating to his room. There was one person he needed to talk to about this. _

.

Right on que, there was a knock on the door. "Come in." Ethan called, staring at his list. The door opened, revealing Nat, in her robe and nightgown.

"Uh…" She began, suddenly acting very awkward. "Maybe I shouldn't. Since it's night. And I'm not dressed."

"Yeah. Good thinking." He grabbed his list and pencil, and went out in the hall. They sat against the wall on the carpet.

"So, what did you need to talk about? Planning your first date back at the palace?" She elbowed him playfully in the ribs. Ethan smiled, but he wasn't really in the mood for jokes. It was late, he was exhausted, and he had a big decision to make.

"No. The Elite. My dad thinks it's time."

Nat went silent. "Oh. That's a lot of pressure. Are you sure you want to be talking to me about it?"

"Well…see it's not just my choice. My dad basically made it for me. But I'm not sure I want to follow it." He handed her the list, and could imagine her reading the ten names his father had basically instructed him to pick. Lissa, Felicity, Cordelia, Amber, Elvira, Mackenzie, Amelia, Rory, Autumn, and one of the twins.

"Oh. Well, I think Elvira would make a great queen." Nat said after a moment, running a hand through her hair. "And Amber is a really sweet girl…"

"Yeah. She's nice. So are Autumn and Felicity."

"But….?" Nat prodded.

"But she's not the one."

"So who is? Mackenzie?" Nat smiled slightly.

Ethan shuddered. "No way. I want a girl who loves me. Not my position. A girl I can be friends with, and also love…aside from maybe Elvira, none of these." He crumpled up the list, and caught Nat looking at him.

"What?"

"Look, Ethan…I can't make this choice for you. I can tell you who to go on a date with next, or who is just crazy about you…but I can't decide your wife for you. And I can't make you stand up to your dad, although I really think you should, because I would flee if Mackenzie became queen."

Ethan laughed. "So what do I do?"

"Decide your own Elite. Don't let him tell you who to marry. It's your choice. Not mine, not his. Yours."

Ethan sighed heavily. "I don't know if I can do that."

"Well, then don't, I guess. And end up miserable. But don't say I didn't try." She got to her feet. "I'll see you in the morning."

.

Ethan was a wreck of nerves at breakfast the next morning. He stirred his coffee, feeling sick. How could women be so talkative at a time like this! He looked down at his final list. He had decided last night to add some of his own picks to his father's. Hopefully it would be enough. It meant sending some girls home that he really liked, but…

_Let's do this. _He stood up quickly, his chair screeching loudly. Everyone looked up in surprise. Nat gave him a half-smile, and nodded.

"Everyone." He began, before swallowing. "I have an announcement to make." His voice was shaking, so he just talked faster, practically tripping over his words now. "I think for the safety of everyone, it's time to make several eliminations. I've decided to go to the Elite." The girls visibly panicked, exchanging glances and gulping back their fear.

"Atta boy!" Andrew poked him in the ribs. Wesley wolf-whistled.

"Uh…I'm sorry if I send you home. Here are the girls who will be staying." He cleared his throat. He could see his father glaring at him, as if trying to make sure Ethan kept to his standards. Ethan gritted his teeth, and began.

"Lady Elvira." She was easy. He liked her well enough, and his father had advised him to choose her. The king nodded in approval. The next name wasn't so easy.

"Lady-" His voice broke halfway through her name. "Lady Mackenzie." He saw the king nod, but Nat was glaring now. She shook her head. He saw Mackenzie smugly sit up straighter, and wink at him.

No way. There was no way he was letting his father choose his wife. It was too late to go back on Mackenzie now, but the rest of the list had to be scrapped. He crumpled it up, and saw Nat smile at him, and nod. He glanced around the room, and tried to remember his own list. At his side, he held out two fingers. There were eight spots left. He decided to appease his father a little more, as well as the public, and pick the fan favorite.

"Lady Lissa." He watched her melt in relief, and he swore he could see Wesley's shoulders sag a little too.

"Lady Michaela. Lady Sirena." They were fun to be around, and he didn't feel so awkward around them. They were down-to-earth girls, and he liked them a lot.

"Lady Gracie." She had always been there for him. She adored him, and he always felt accomplished in her eyes.

"Lady Natalia." Of course, he had to keep his advisor and friend around. She winked at him.

"Lady Nicole." While he was a little unsure of her feelings for him, he couldn't help but want to keep her around. Besides, it would just make his father so mad….

"Lady Adele. Lady Katherine." That was ten. Those last two, he knew he _had_ to keep.

Felicity was crying. Cordelia shrugged and kept eating. Rory got up and stormed out of the room. Nat smiled proudly at him. Katherine blushed when they made eye contact, and looked away. And his father was glaring at him.

And yet…he couldn't bring himself to care.

…

There was one thing she had to do before she left. One person she had to thank, and to say goodbye to. And while Adele didn't like to admit it…she wasn't ready to say goodbye. She had packed her things hurriedly, knowing lots of her gowns were back at the palace, waiting to be worn again, and they weren't leaving right away. Air travel was no longer grounded as it had been after the first attack, so they would be flying instead of driving. A few of the girls had even gone down to the beach one more time, so she had some time.

No one would be opposed to her saying thank you to one of the servants who had saved her life. In fact, no one was really paying attention at the moment. Felicity, who had been her closest friend before and during the Selection, was going home, and had left as soon as she had packed her things up, without even saying goodbye. The rest of the former Selected, Amelia, Cordelia, Rory, Autumn, and Amber were still in their rooms. The Elite were celebrating, for the most part. Elvira was still speaking to one of the head guards about her experience in the attack or something. Nat, Sirena, and Michaela had gone down to the beach. Nicole was probably practicing ballet in her room, and Mackenzie, Katherine, Lissa and Gracie were packing their things up.

Adele had seen Colin in the gardens from the balcony, not doing any work, and she realized she wanted to speak with him before she left. Wearing the skirt and blouse she had worn when she had arrived, and also during the trip into town, she hurried down the same stairs of the balcony that they were fighting for their lives to get down. She ran down the path, finding him sitting rather unhappily on one of the stone benches. His nose was swollen from taking a beating yesterday, and he sported a black eye. His arm was in a sling, and he looked rather miserable.

He looked up as she approached, and gave her a sort of smile, but then looked away glumly.

"Hi." Adele said.

"Hi." He didn't look up, but fiddled with the fabric of his sling.

"How's the arm?"

"Dislocated and put back into place. Sore, but I'll survive." He kept staring at the ground.

"I came to thank you." He didn't respond. "And to say goodbye."

"To some plain old gardener Seven who irritates you to no end?" Colin shook his head. He obviously wasn't in a very good mood.

"No. To a friend of mine who saved my life yesterday. And pretended to be dead and scared me half to death."

"Well, you don't have to." He finally looked up at her. "Apparently, I'm coming with you all. Since I helped you, they decided they want a gardener at the palace who can fight too, for precautions."

"Hey, that's great! I know the servants who work there make a lot more money, and you can send it back to your family and-"

"And I'll have to leave my family!" Colin stood up, wincing slightly. "And my work, and everything I've ever known. This place is beautiful. Away from all the chaos of the world. I hate the city. You don't understand, Adele. I don't want to leave. All I've been working for, to change things, to open people's mind to the possibilities…that's all over now! Viola tells me that I'm the only person who can make my little brother smile, and who knows when I'll see him again? I-"

Before she quite knew what she was doing or why, Adele grabbed Colin by the collar of shirt, and quite ungracefully yanked him towards her, and kissed him square on the lips with as much passion as she had kissed Ethan the other day. And just like Ethan, Colin sort of freaked out. After a moment, he pulled away, breathing hard.

"What was that for?" His voice cracked, and he wiped his mouth.

"This would be a good time to shut up." Adele reached for his hand, but he jerked away nervously, his neck flushed. "This is huge for you. You're not understanding-"

"Oh, come on." Colin turned away, running a hand through his hair.

"Really, Colin? Really? You're the only one who can know what's best? Or is it because I'm a girl or something?"

Colin sighed, and sat back down, scowling. "What." He crossed his arms. "Tell me what I don't understand." He rolled his eyes.

"Look, that little town you live in doesn't even have a name. So all this work you do to change things doesn't change much but a nameless town. You'll be living in the frickin' capital of Illea, and maybe you'll even get to speak to the king or the legislators. Maybe you can even bring your family with you. You'll get paid much more than you do now, and you'll have access to more medical treatment for your brother." Adele explained. The first trace of a smile appeared on his face, but then quickly vanished.

"I still don't want to work for the king."

"You already work for the king." Adele reminded him.

Colin shoved his hands in his pockets and sighed. "…Oh yeah." He said, embarrassed.

"And you forgot one thing."

"And what would that be?" Colin glanced at her as she sat down next to him.

"Me." Adele bit her lip. "I'm in the Elite now. And I'm your friend."

"A friend who jumps on guys and kisses them, yeah." Colin scooted slightly further away from her.

"You weren't listening."

They sat in silence for a moment.

"Well, I guess I better be going…." Adele stood up.

"Hey, hey, wait, stop." Colin stood up as well. He looked more confused than anything. "What's this about for you?" He furrowed his brow. "I don't mean Ethan, or me saving your life." He pointed to her and then to himself, shaking his finger rapidly back and forth between them. "What's this about?" His voice grew to almost accusatory, but then his shoulders slumped, and he shuffled his feet, embarrassed. "I mean, am I kidding myself or is there something..." He pointed between the two of them again.

Adele hesitated. She had been the one kidding herself. "I don't know. I mean, I'm in the Selection, and Ethan and I…" She trailed off. "Maybe there is."

Colin sat back down on the bench, as awkward and nervous as she'd ever seen him. He shrugged. "I'm not an idiot. I know that a girl like you should marry a prince in a heartbeat and never give a guy like me a second look. I know that I annoy you, and honestly you annoy me a lot too. But what you said yesterday, and that night in town about how you believed in me…" He looked up at her, but Adele didn't quite know what to say.

After a moment, he fixed his gaze out over the ocean. "But right now, staring at you…I'm scared." He clenched his fists. "Scared that tomorrow is going to come and change everything." His gaze traveled back to her. "I wish there was a way I could grab hold of something to make time stop…just so I could keep looking at you."

Adele sighed, and sat down next to him. This time, he didn't shy away. "I never planned on you." She said, laughing a little. "I had this whole fairy tale worked out in my head. You were never part of it. But that doesn't mean I don't want you to be." She hastily amended.

Colin smiled his irritating smirk. "Well, good. Because I already am."

"So…are you going to kiss me or not?" Adele asked after a moment. He chuckled, and then obliged her.

"Why not?"

…

**AHAHAHHAHAHHAHA I've been waiting to write these scenes forever! Much credit goes to Newsies and a little to Titanic for inspiring the scene between Colin and Adele. **

**I'm really kind of sad to send some of these guys home. Special thanks to **fairy not princess **and **4Love4Love4 **for sticking around this far, and I'm sorry to send your characters home, but alas, Ethan made the decision, not me. Also really really sad to 'leave' Trentworth, but the story must go on! Don't forget to check out the Pinterest page for pins upon pins of gowns and girls in ball gowns and face claims, and most importantly, leave a review!**

**A dream is a wish your heart makes!**

**-Shades**


	66. As Long As Possible

**The Story: "Write what you know so they say all I know is I don't know what to write or the right way to write it"…have you ever just listened to song and thought the lyrics are so accurate I want to paint them on my body. But usually it's something deep and about love, not crack lyrics from Newsies aimed at those of us with writers block…writer probs.**

**I'm not really sure what this chapter is or why it's here. It's kind of lame. I honestly didn't plan this part of the story….**

**But thanks to my lovely reviewers for all your support! **majestictales, delovlies, PrincessSwim, 4Love4Love4, the-ravenclaw-phangirl, UltimateMaxmericaShipper (**despite being in Europe, you rock!), **Demigod-Gallagher-Selected, Smiley face, Lady Anj, **and new reviewers **keppa4839 **and **pinterestobssessed guest (**toats my problem too**) **thank you two so much!**

…

In some ways, being back at the palace was a whole new experience, but in others, it was exactly the same. Sirena wandered through the halls back to her room, thinking. They had been back since Tuesday, and just finished filming their first Report since the one before the masquerade. Nothing had been said of the attack on Trentworth. Updates had been given about the rebels, and how the province of Yukon was basically beyond their control. Sonage, the neighboring province, was experiencing increasing rebel activity, although no one had been killed yet.

But it still felt different. The Great Room and the Main Hall had been redecorated—which of course had made it into the Report—and the bodies were gone. The damage from the explosions were cleaned up, and there were no more screams and no more smoke. Instead of rebels in the west wing, the legislators and advisors were back. The king had made sure that they knew how to get to the secret safe rooms built beneath the palace, but upon touring them, Sirena had only wanted to get out. It was so claustrophobic down there.

She missed Trentworth. She missed the windows always being open and the constant lullaby of the ocean. She missed sharing a huge balcony with all the girls, and felt so isolated on her own tiny one. She missed not having etiquette and those stupid princess lessons. She missed not having to dress up as much, and being away from the eye of the public and of the king and queen. Now, it seemed like there were cameras everywhere—filming them getting out of the car when they arrived, taking pictures of their every outfit, and filming them whenever they were with the prince. He had separately taken Katherine and Adele into the gardens for a walk already, and had gone horseback riding with Gracie.

But of course, all was fine and good in the palace and the Selection was supposed to be big news right now. They had taken the six girls back to the palace and had shot a staged scene of Ethan announcing the Elite, which Sirena felt was pretty cruel, since they had already been kicked out, but now had to reenact it for the cameras. Tomorrow, a team from one of the top magazines in Illea, Illea Weekly, was coming to the palace for a huge photoshoot and interviews. They were putting out an exclusive edition of the Elite.

It was strange, no longer being referred to as "the Selected" but instead "the Elite". As Sirena climbed up the staircase, she wondered why she was still here. Maybe Ethan liked her. Maybe it was because she was a Two and her father was a governor. Maybe because there were other girls he preferred to send home, or she was still here for the same reason Mackenzie was.

Because honestly? She didn't know why she was here. She didn't love Ethan. She didn't even know what love was. Sure, she'd been 'in like' many times…but she'd never been 'in love'. She wandered down the central hall of the second floor, now strangely quiet, light shining from underneath only nine other doors. Looking back, she'd thought plenty of times that she'd been in love. But she knew it wasn't real now. She'd grown up.

She reached her room, and entered. Her maids were there, standing immediately and curtsying. Another thing she was going to have to get used to again. She quickly dismissed them, and considered going over to Nat's room to talk. But she was probably asleep. It was late, and they had a big day tomorrow, but Sirena had wandered around the palace after filming, restless. She went out onto the balcony, listening to the sound of nothing, and studying the twinkling lights of Angeles far below. A drink would be nice right now. Deep thinking always required some alcohol. Maybe a few cigarettes.

Did she want this? Did she want to be a princess one day? What would she do if she was eliminated? Go back to modeling? _I should want this. Every girl in Illea wants this, and I have a chance, and I don't know if I do or not. But I should. If I'm still in this…I'm in it to win it. _

…

_More interviews. More making up answers. Honestly, do people really get an interest in this stuff?_ Nicole sighed, and leaned back in her chair, and tried to relax. But it was a little hard with a swarm of hair and makeup people poking her face and pulling her hair. _Not to mention the photoshoots…_

Illea Weekly, a huge magazine, was doing almost an entire edition on them, including interviews from all of them, and tons of pictures. While the girls got their makeup done for the first of many photoshoots, a woman with a really annoying voice was interviewing them. She was just starting with Mackenzie, and in the Woman's Room, it was pretty easy to hear for once.

"How would you describe your style?" The interviewer asked, faking a friendly tone.

Mackenzie was practically preening, and answers rolled of her tongue, even though it wasn't video recorded. "I love to get dressed up, I'm somewhat of a diva." She laughed flakily, "but I'm also pretty girly when it comes to fashion."

"What's been your favorite part of the Selection so far?"

"I have loved getting to know all these wonderful girls, and also the royal family. I'm glad I'm not leaving anytime soon!" Nicole tried not to laugh as the stupidity of the answer, and shared a glance with Nat next to her.

"What were your feelings on becoming part of the Elite?"

"To be totally honest, I wasn't surprised. I've felt a connection with Ethan ever since I got here, and I know he has too." On her other side, Nicole heard Gracie stifle a laugh. Since the report of her trying to kiss him, Ethan practically ran away from her whenever he saw her.

"Has he kissed you yet?"

Mackenzie laughed airily, "That's a bit personal, don't you think? But yes, he has!"

"I'm pretty sure it was the other way around." Nicole whispered to Gracie.

"Who is your best bet to be the princess?" The interviewer asked.

"I think any one of the other girls has it in them." Mackenzie smiled brightly, and Nicole, Nat, and Gracie all had to hide their laughter. She reminded them at least once every day they were not princess material. The interviewer thanked Mackenzie, and then moved on to Katherine.

"How different is living in the palace versus home?" The interviewer asked Katherine, whose hair was being curled.

"There's a crazy world of difference! At home, I had to work all day… Here, we wear pretty dresses and look pretty. But it's still a lot of fun!" Katherine was one of the few girls here who could always be counted on to be genuine, and Nicole admired her for it.

"What's the best part?"

"Oh gosh, everything. I love every minute of it. But if I'm honest, it's probably Ethan. He's such a great guy. I'm so blessed to know him." Her cheeks tinged slightly pink.

"How would you describe your style?"

"I LOVE lace, and I also love wearing white. If I had to name it, it would probably be classically feminine with a hint of vintage, I guess." Katherine shrugged.

"Who has been your best friend here?"

"Michaela Williams, probably. We're both bakers, although we're pretty different. I'm glad she's still here!"

"Do the Selected fight a lot?"

"Not really, no. We're all pretty close, and if we do, it's usually over wearing a similar dress, but it's hard, because we're all jealous of each other, and we just have to realize we're all rivals, basically."

As the interviewer moved on to Adele, one of the makeup people began wrapping her hair in the little dye roller things. Since the beginning, when she'd decided to have her hair dyed to a caramel blonde, it was going to be retouched right after the masquerade, since her red gown had looked slightly better with darker locks. But then the attack had happened, and they had all gone to Trentworth. Nicole had decided to just get lighter highlights put in, instead of dying it again. She didn't really know why. Maybe it was time for another change.

"What was your reaction when Prince Ethan announced that you would be an Elite?" The woman asked Adele. Nicole tried to think of answers too, because she noticed some of the questions being repeated, and after Adele, it was Gracie, and then her.

"I was excited, of course, and I was a little surprised, because I'm from a lower caste." Adele sort of trailed off, something she rarely did. Usually she was much more confident in her answers. "But Ethan and I have a good relationship." She finished.

"How good?" The interview pressed.

"Oh…well, we've kissed a few times." Adele was starting to look flushed for some reason.

"Is he a good kisser?"

"Yeah, he's great. A little inexperienced, but very…uh…gentle?" Adele grimaced her word choice, and Nicole hoped no one would get that personal with her.

"What would you say your trademark style is?" That seemed to be a question they were all getting. Good thing it was simple.

"Well, I've always loved vintage inspired clothing and hair, like old Hollywood inspired glamour. But I wear a lot of cream and gold, and vintage cut gowns."

"How would you describe the Selection?"

"It's really all like a fairy tale—the gowns, the servants, the prince. I was in a production of Cinderella right before I was Selected, and it reminds me a lot of that. It's magical."

The interview was cut short, because they were ready to take some pictures of Adele, and they were on a schedule and she needed to get dressed.

Gracie was next. Nicole couldn't really see her, because they spun her around to trim her hair, but she could still listen.

"What was your reaction to being Selected?" The interview was shockingly more annoying the close she got.

"If it was proper, I would have screamed. I think I did a happy dance in my seat, I was so excited. I never expected it, because I never thought I could have a chance with all these other great girls. It's a dream come true."

"Who do you think should be the winner?"

"I don't think it's necessarily winning. Or being a princess. I think it should be whoever Ethan loves. And honestly? I hope it's me, because I love him."

"Have you two shared a kiss?"

"Yes!"

"Any style advice for dressing like an Elite?"

"uhh, dress for success. There's no such thing as being overdressed. I have a pretty girly style. I love ruffles and pink, but I love horses, so I guess you could say I have a little country girl there too."

"What do you admire most about Ethan?"

"I love how nice he is to all of us. He really takes the time to comfort us if we're upset, and he's very handsome, too." Nicole heard her giggle.

Unfortunately, that was all the questions they needed, so Nicole was next. It was a little hard to focus with the makeup people everywhere, but she managed.

"What traits do you admire most in Prince Ethan?" The woman asked, holding out a small recording thing.

Nicole hesitated. "He really cares about his people, and we wants to help them. He also is quiet, and I appreciate that."

"So, aside from him, have you gotten close to any other members of the royal family?"

"Well, I spend a lot of time with Princess Christine. I've always wanted to be a dancer, even though I was a Four, so she's kind of taken me under her wing."

"What style advice would you give to our readers?"

"Wear what you want, and what reflects your personality. I don't have a particular style, but I do love tulle." It was similar to all the other girls answers, but it was one thing they had all learned.

"Have you had any challenges with Nat being here as well?"

Nicole bristled. "No way! If anything, it makes it more fun. I love having her here."

"If you were to wrestle over Prince Ethan, who would win?"

"Her. Definitely her." She wasn't sure why they would be fighting, though. It was a cheesy question. "Although we don't fight on a regular basis." She added.

Next to her, Nat laughed, but it was short lived, because the interviewer moved on to her. Nicole stuck her tongue at her sister, who was looking a little caught off guard at the first question.

"What style advice would you share for dressing like a princess?" The interviewer said.

"Go bold, and be yourself. Try new things, and don't be afraid of what others think of you. I've been wearing a lot of red lately, but I also love blue."

"So, who is your best friend in the Selection?"

"Aside from an unbreakable genetic obligation to my sister, who will always be my best friend-" Nat smiled sweetly, and despite the sarcasm in her voice, Nicole knew she meant it. "Probably Sirena. She and I get into all sorts of trouble together."

"Any interesting tidbits to share about Prince Ethan?"

"Well, he's a great guy. He would never put any of us in a compromising position, and he cares deeply for all of us."

"Who is your pick for the princess?"

"Am I allowed to say?" Nat laughed, slightly nervous. "Uh, I would probably say Elvira. She's tougher than all of us put together." She winked at Nicole again. "But my genetic obligation also makes me say my sister."

"That's about all we need, thanks." The interviewer got up to leave, moving onto Sirena. Nicole listened, half interested, as they fixed her now highlighted hair into voluminous waves.

"What do you admire most about Ethan?"

"He's really thoughtful and he isn't fake." Sirena took a moment to respond.

"Has he kissed you yet?"

"Not yet." Sirena handled the question breezily, despite not being able to claim that.

"Any style tips for our readers?"

"Wear whatever you can pull off and feel comfortable anything. I wear anything, really."

"Who is your pick for the princess and winning the Selection?"

"Goodness, any of these girls could be it. Katherine really connects with Ethan, and she gets him. Lissa will help anyone. Mackenzie…uh, she's very determined. Elvira is tough and she's got insight from being a soldier. I honestly have no idea."

"Have you all become sisters, or are there a lot of fights?"  
"There are a lot of fights, but I think that's just part of being so close all the time."

"A lot of jealousy going on?"

"Yeah, there is. But I think we all kind of understand, and get why."

Lissa's interview was next.

"You're a Seven, and now from the lowest caste in the Elite. Do you think that hurts your chances?" Was the first question. Nicole thought it was a little unfair, and rude, but Lissa took it in stride.

"I think that if I'm still here, it must mean something. So no, I don't. We all became Threes when we we're Selected. We're all equal. I don't think anyone should be intimidated by where they came from."

"What was your reaction to being in the Elite?"

"I was so happy to get to stay a little while longer." The reply seemed somewhat forced

"Have you developed any signature style during your time at the palace?"  
"I love super flowery things, and big ball gowns. I love yellow and pink too."

"What has been the best part of the Selection so far in your experience?"

"I loved making such wonderful friends, and also this has given me a great opportunity to get away from where I came from."

"Have you befriended any of the royal family?"

"Prince Wesley and I are about the same age, and we get a long pretty well." Lissa's reply seemed automatic.

Michaela was next. By then, Nicole's hair seemed shampoo commercial flawless, and the makeup people were only putting the finishing touches on her makeup. She was escorted back to another corner, where they draped fabrics and outfits over her. Still, she could still hear Michaela's interview.

"What do you miss most about home?" the interviewer asked her.

"I miss living by the beach, and I miss my little sister. Growing up, it was just us, so it's weird not being with her." Although they had just gotten back from the beach, for some reason they weren't allowed to tell people they had been living in Trentworth, something about national security.

"What do you like the best about the palace?"

"While I miss home, being here is like a fairy tale. I love all my friends, and the clothes, but the desserts are one of my favorite part! I own a bakery, but I've never made anything as delicious as the cake they have here!"

"How would you describe your style?"  
"I've lived by the beach my whole life, so I think that's kind of rubbed off on me. Blue is my favorite color to wear, and I love flowy fabrics."  
"So, if you were doing anything besides participating in the Elite, what would it be?"

"I would probably just be doing what I was, running my parent's bakery with my sister. I guess it's not very interesting, but I love it!" Nicole smiled to herself. Michaela was also genuine and she had that small-town girl charm around her.

The wardrobe assistants finally agreed on a tank top black dress for some head shots, and sent Nicole off to the dressing rooms to put it on. It was different than the evening gowns and day dresses, but it set off her complexion well. She had to wait for the photographers to be ready for her, so she got to hear the last interview, Elvira's.

"Most people wouldn't expect a soldier to join a Selection. Why did you?" the interviewer asked the first question.

"Originally, my father put me up to it. My sister was in Prince Andrew's Selection, and he decided it would be a good experience for me to have as well." Elvira responded.

"Have you enjoyed it?"

"Surprisingly, yes. I was very closed off to the opportunity as first, but I think I've discovered a lot about myself and made some great friends."

"What has become your role in this group of girls?"

"Ironically, I've sort of become like a peace keeper. I've never been good at the whole crush thing, or experienced a lot of drama, so the other girls feel they can talk to me, I guess. I love them all, they're wonderful girls….most of the time!" Elvira jested, and Nicole smiled. She had sort of become the glue between them.

"What style traits do you wear?"

"I wear a lot of black. I don't like playing it safe, and I have a sort of art deco avant garde thing going on."

The interview finished just as Nicole was whisked away for her photoshoot. She sighed and followed the photographers.

She was a Two now. She didn't have to stick around. A career in ballet would be waiting for her when she left. But she would stay, for now. A little more…okay, a lot more practice was probably necessary. And she sort of wanted to stay anyway.

…

**As I said earlier, I thought this was kind of lame. I had bad writers block, so I started experimenting into a magazine thing, which led to the interviews…ya, no idea. **

**So, I bunch of you have been commenting about the stuff the girls did in the book once they got into the Elite, but all I can really remember is the Convicting and the philanthropy projects, which I want to do once some girls have been eliminated (WHICH WILL BE SO HARD!) So if anyone has some ideas/requests please let me know!**

**Oh yeah, and review!**

**Nothing happens if you just give in.**

**-Shades**


	67. What's the Story?

**The Story: One time in tenth grade I got this thing from my school with everyone's address so I looked up my crushes address on Google Earth and would walk my dog past his house even though it was like a mile away. **

**I just looked and saw I freaking have 570 reviews on this story. Now a little less than month until the one year anniversary! Thanks to **Demigod-Gallagher-Selected, 4Love4Lov4, delovlies, PrincessSwim **(who I recently found out was Cordelia's creator!), **LadyAnj **and **pinterestobsessed guest**! **

…

The photographers were gone, thankfully. After a gazillion outfit changes and parading in front of the cameras for hours, Gracie was relived to be without them. They had been instructed to stay in the Woman's Room until dinner, because it was Saturday, and now that they were back in the palace, that was a requirement. It had started to rain outside, making it cozy inside. Ever since they had left Trentworth, they had begun to see the change of the seasons, although it wasn't as obvious as it would be home, because this was the west coast. Gracie would miss the snow, though. Nights were cooler, and it rained a lot with the approach of autumn.

Neither the queen nor the princesses were present, and the girls were exhausted after a long day of press. Gracie was sprawled on the sofa, watching TV with Lissa. Katherine was curled up in one of the window seats, reading. Elvira was reading a newspaper. Adele stood in front of one of the windows overlooking the garden, watching the rain streak down. Nat and Nicole were playing a card game, or at least trying to. To Gracie, it looked like more giggling than card playing. Michaela was writing a letter to her sister. Sirena was reading a fashion magazine. Mackenzie was filing her nails, a bored expression on her face.

"I miss Trentworth. This place gets so boring." Sirena sighed, closing her magazine with a slap.

"Yeah…" Adele said, her voice distant.

"And Ethan actually paid attention to us." Gracie added.

"You're one to talk. At least he went on a date with you." Mackenzie snapped jealously.

"Well, maybe if you didn't pounce on him and try to get him to kiss you he would ask you out." Adele put in, turning away from the window.

"Um, I'm pretty sure I saw you do the same thing the day he got back." Sirena reminded her.

Adele put her hands on her hips. "That was different. We've kissed before."

"Sounds more like manipulation to me. C'mon, guys. The poor guy's head is spinning right now, and you guys jump on him and kiss him and he's probably so confused he doesn't even want to see us." Gracie put in.

"Oh yeah? Says the girl who cried victim and wore a slut-dress to get his attention?" Mackenzie accused.

"It was your dress!" Gracie cried.

Mackenzie snorted. "Like I would _ever _wear something so tasteless."

Lissa snickered behind her hand. Nat stifled a guffaw.

"You always wear tasteless." Elvira said, her tone bored. "And can we stop with all the arguing? You guys are giving me a headache."

"Oh, the tough little soldier feels pain? How weird!" Mackenzie sneered sarcastically. Elvira rolled her eyes and went back to reading, unaffected.

"Oh, shut up already. Look, Mackenzie, we're all here fighting for the same guy. There's bound to be some tension." Nat interjected.

"Looks to me like you two get real cozy together. So you don't have any right to talk." Mackenzie sat down with a huff.

"Well don't blame me! Blame Ethan." Nat laughed.

"Yeah, if anyone wants to be mad at someone be mad at the guy." Lissa reminded them.

"You must have lots of experience, you being a whore and all." Mackenzie said snippily.

Instead of looking mad, Lissa looked hurt. "I wasn't a whore. I was a dancer. It's different. And I needed the money."

"The way I see it, you're sucking up to Prince Wesley."

"We're just friends. We're allowed to have friends." Lissa said quickly.

"Mackenzie, leave her alone." Nicole spoke up.

"And you, sucking up to Princess Christine. It's clearly not working."

"Then why is she still here?" Elvira muttered.

"We're all here for a reason." Michaela added. "And only one of us can win."

"By the way, that whole friend-zone routine looks really bad." Mackenzie snapped at Michaela.

"I'm not friend-zoning anyone."

"No, I mean, he's friend-zoning you."

"I think he would have sent 'just a friend' home by now."

"He does spend a lot of time with her." Katherine put in.

"Says the sob-story drama queen. Seriously, crying to catch a guy is so low."

"And pouncing on one and kissing him isn't?" Sirena spoke up. "You're such a hypocrite. You don't even like him. You're here for the power."

"To get the power, you have to get the guy." Mackenzie shrugged as if it was obvious.

"Maybe we should all come clean." Gracie stood up from the couch. "Tell what we've done with Ethan, and how we feel about him. To know where we all stand."

"Why would we do that?" Adele scoffed.

"Because there's only ten of us now. We should be honest with each other."

"Maybe we should just keep our secrets to each other." Lissa interjected, giving Gracie a look that said _please don't make me tell them about me and Wesley. _

"Or we could do that." Gracie hastily amended.

"No, I think it's a good idea." Mackenzie took advantage of Gracie's backpedaling. "Who wants to go first? Lissa? How about you?"

"Um, I don't-"

"C'mon, go on!"

Lissa glanced at the other girls, but no one helped her out now. They were all curious.

"Um…we haven't kissed or anything. I'm not even sure I like him. I always thought I did but now-" the words were coming faster now. "Well, once I met him, I felt nothing."

"Is that all?" Mackenzie accused. Lissa nodded forcefully.

"Your turn."

"Fine. I don't love Ethan. I want to win. I want to be the princess, and I'll do that anyway I please. I tried to kiss him, yeah, but that's it. Sirena, you're next."

"Whatever. I'm not really sure if I actually love him. But I want to win. And for once, I thought it would be nice to actually have someone love me for once too. No action to report, though." She shrugged. "Uh, Adele, go next."

"Okay. I've kissed him twice. And because no one can keep their mouth shut-" she glared at Sirena. "Everyone knows already. Once on our first date, and when he got back. Nothing past first base. And I like him. He's a great guy. He's so different from most of the guys I know. I like the way he looks at me. Maybe I want to marry him, maybe I don't. I, uh, I don't know where I stand, though. Who's next?"

"I'll go." Nat said. "I like him too. But only as a friend. I don't think we have a romantic future together. So now you all know."

The girls were quiet, some of them happy there was less competition.

"Well, I hope we have a romantic future. I love him." Gracie spoke up. "I want to win, but I want to marry him, not be princess. We kissed, but only a little kiss. And we hold hands sometimes. And we've hugged three times. And-"

"Okay, enough with the PSA's about your love life!" Mackenzie groaned. "Someone else go."

"Okay." Michaela suddenly looked nervous. "Um, he hasn't kissed me. But he did hug me after one our dates. I'm not saying I'm quite full on in love yet. But I guess you could call it a crush. I don't know. I think I could love him…"

"I'm not really good at the whole crush thing." Elvira went ahead and took her turn. "But if ever I did like someone, it could be him. I don't know. No action to report either. Do I really want to be princess? No. But I maybe could imagine myself married to him. Just not right now. I don't really know how I feel either."

"Me either." Nicole said softly. "Sometimes….I think I could marry him if he would have me. But then I don't want to and I have more important things to do. I don't really know where I stand with him."

The girls were quiet, and finally Katherine spoke up.

"I guess I'm last." She began. "I guess I'll go ahead and say it. I like him. I really really like him. I think I might be falling in love with him. But it's a little scary, giving up part of yourself to let someone else in. I let him kiss me. Like a real kiss."

"Like you made out?" Adele said helpfully. Katherine blushed, and nodded.

"I think that's it."

…

Ethan sighed and leaned back against the wall outside the door of his father's study. He had been summoned for an appointment that was supposed to be thirty minutes ago, but the king could still be heard shouting at his advisors behind the closed door. He knew what this would be about. It had been nearly a week since the Elite, and his father had not said a word to him about it. That was probably about to change.

The girls had been locked away in the Woman's Room all day, doing some fancy photoshoot thing for a magazine, so he hadn't planned any dates even though it was over now. But he would have liked to go for a ride or something instead of waiting in the hallway of the west wing, where there still hung memories of the night of the masquerade. That horrible feeling of not being able to protect the girls, and knowing they could be killed in front of him at any time.

Finally, the door opened, and one of the legislators representing Sonage stormed out, followed by an advisor and two more legislators and an aide. Ethan stepped back, letting them stalk by, before quietly slipping into his father's study. The king was bent over a pile of papers, writing busily. Ethan cleared his throat.

"Uh, you wanted to see me?" He began. King Jackson looked up.

"Oh, yes. You're finally here." Ethan steeled himself against a response. "There's a matter we need to attend to."

"Look, Father, I know that the Elite-"

"You clearly did not follow my advice. But that's not the topic of discussion. The situation in Yukon is spiraling out of control. There are citizens of Illea there, with no food, no heat and an approaching winter. The rebels are killing innocents for leaving their homes to try to feed their families, and the problem is spreading into Sonage. They're giving up, to be controlled by the rebels. What do you propose we do?" King Jackson folded his hands neatly on top of the desk, and raised his eyebrows at Ethan.

"Uh, shouldn't Andrew decide? Since he's the heir and all?"

"When it was time for Andrew to cut to the Elite, he followed my instructions."

Ethan wanted to tell his father he was the king, and should be making these decisions, but he knew that wouldn't bode well.

"There's an answer right before your eyes, but you're not seeing it, are you?" The king interrupted. "Actually, there's two. Send in the army. All of it. Deploy the draft, and double the size of the standing army."

"But the forces we sent early on were defeated in a week!" Ethan began. "These rebels are well equipped. They're smart, they know how to hide and they know how to shoot. Besides, it will be winter there soon, and tanks and an army would not be able to maneuver."

"An entire army against a handful of rebels would be defeated? I think you underestimate the numbers a draft would bring us." The king sneered.

"Have you ever thought why they're rebelling?" Ethan glanced up at the ceiling, not wanting to meet his father's eyes.

"They're unhappy. So they started a revolution." King Jackson said simply.

"No. Most of the citizens of Illea are unhappy. You can't really believe all those people at my speech were rebels. They're starving. They're not being paid enough, and the upper castes are living in perfect comfort but the lower ones are in poverty. The rebels want to end the monarchy."

"Nonsense. The rebels are extremists. A bunch of young men with crazy ideas." He narrowed his eyes at Ethan, proving his point.

"Then why did they attack two places of residence of the monarchy. I was there, Father. The girls were there. Both Katherine and Nat as well as Adele and one of the servants said they were questioned by the invaders as to your whereabouts."

"That is not your problem." The king stood up. "All I asked is what to do about the situation in Yukon. I can handle the rest. I'm just testing you, to see how to handle situations like this. I already have a solution."

"Then what's the point?" Ethan spoke through gritted teeth, balling up his fists.

"Just tell me what you would do in this situation."

"I don't know." He admitted.

"Think, Ethan. I never expected to be king, and yet, here I am. You need to be ready. The people of Yukon have given up. But they need to fight back before we can send in more aid. The rebels are fighters. We can send the army if things get any worse, but there's something else to be done first."

"If you send in the army, you'll start a civil war."

The king chuckled in a demeaning way. "That's preposterous. Besides, I'm not sending the order yet. There's one thing to try first."

"Well, what is it?"

"Isn't obvious? We add another member to the Selection."

…

**SO YEAH I WENT THERE. Huge shoutout to **4Love4Love4 **for this great idea. More next chapter! Again, let me know if you have any ideas/requests about Elite activities or just in general. **

**If any of the creators want to let me know if I got their characters feelings wrong, or have other ideas, just let me know in a review. **

**I started a new poll on my profile to see who you want to eliminate next. After every update, I'll add another vote, but there's just one now. Don't forget to review and check out the Pinterest page for spoilers, gowns, and face claims and loss of time to do anything useful with your life!  
-Shades**


	68. Street Smart

**The Story: Someone challenged me to put three random things about myself in my next "The Story". So here we go! **

**1) I'm literally 6'0. **

**2) Sweet seventeen and never been kissed or in a relationship**

**3) I usually don't cry in movies, but I sobbed my eyes out at the end of season 2 and 3 of Dance Academy and every time I re-watch it, I'm chocked up through every episode. **

**Get to know your author time (Since we've been together for almost a year now…) ask me any questions in your review and I'll answer them next update!**

**Love to my reveiwers **4Love4Love4, delovlies, UltimateMaxmericaShipper, PrincessSwim, Perksofbeingminho, LadyAnj, **and **pinterstobsessed guest**!**

…

Ebony Winters pulled her jacket closer and leaned forward against the wind. It brought the feeling of snow. Winter was sure to come early this year. Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad thing, though. Maybe the rebels would freeze and leave them alone for once. As the frigid wind penetrated through her coat and chased away any memories of the brief Yukon summer, Ebony couldn't help but feel cleaner out in the icy air.

She tried to get the looks of the men at the bar out of her head, but their leery sleaze stuck with her. Her employment at the bar was just supposed to be a waitress, but since she was a Seven, she had to work as entertainment if asked. Ebony shuddered. Several of the rebel troops stationed in in the capital of Yukon, where she lived, had taken a liking to her and came nightly, calling her out to dance and entertain with the other girls instead of fetching drinks. She hated the way they stared at her legs, her chest and her hips. The only upside was that if they were drunk enough, they would tip her, and there would be more money for her family.

Ebony thought back to last year, before all this had started. Yukon was still part of Illea. She only had to waitress, hardly ever having to entertain unless one of the other girls were sick. They had always been poor, but at least there was food to buy. Not even money was doing them much good these days. Not since the rebels had overtaken Yukon and the simple rebellion had grown to this full scale fight. The governor was killed, and the rebels beat out the forces the king sent. So the king stopped trying to help them. There was hardly any food to buy because crops had been destroyed in the fighting and no way to heat their homes besides a fire because all the petroleum plants had been bombed by the soldiers to cut off access from the rebels. They killed whom they pleased. There was no order and no help coming.

And all the while, Prince Ethan paraded around in the warmth of coastal Angeles with his pack of girls. And they wanted another girl. Four days ago, two men claiming to be Illean soldiers had come to her home, and given her a form to fill out, secretly. King Jackson wanted another girl chosen from Yukon, even though they had gotten another girl to represent Yukon. Ebony didn't know much about that. The Reports had been prohibited right after the governor had been killed, after the girls were announced. At her mom's insistence, she had filled out the form. It wasn't like she would actually be chosen. Not that she even wanted to go to some fancy hoy-poly palace and cater to a stuck spoiled brat of a prince and see a king who didn't help an entire province of his people.

Ebony finally turned down the safety of her street and headed to her building. As she stepped into the lobby and headed for the stairs, she was grateful to be out of the wind, but it was still cold. The fireplace was crackling in their apartment when she stepped inside. Immediately, she realized something was different. The same two men as before were standing inside the living room. Her mother was crying. Elle, her fourteen year old sister, was beaming at her. Sixteen year old Cormac was all but jumping up and down. Even Brennen was smiling at her. Dad still wasn't home, as usual.

"What's all the fuss?" She asked, caught off guard. She slipped off her backpack, and fumbled with the buttons on her coat. Then the two soldiers bowed to her.

"Lady Ebony." One of them said. "We've come to-"

"Wait, Lady? I'm no lady." Ebony crossed her arms. "What's this about?"

"You've been Selected." Her mother said gently, tears streaming down her cheeks into her smile.

"Wait, WHAT?" Ebony squawked. "Me? But I don't want-"

"We were unable to enter all the girls of age in Yukon, due to the rebels. But they've chosen you." The second soldier said. "You'll be taken to the palace in two days. We'll fetch you the day after tomorrow at five in the morning. It won't be easy, sneaking out of rebel territory, and we still need to prepare transport. But you'll be there in time to be announced on the Report this Friday. Take only what you need, but all your needs will be seen to at the palace. Don't speak of this to anyone except your family." They had her sign several forms. Ebony was in too much shock to try to resist. The soldiers left quietly, leaving the family alone.

"Just wait until your father hears about this, darling!" Ebony's mother went to her daughter, and kissed her cheek. "My beautiful daughter—a princess!"

"You're so lucky, Ebony!" Elle exclaimed.

"Wait, wait, who says I'm doing this? I don't want to be no princess." Ebony jerked backwards out of her mother's hug. "I gotta go think about this." She stormed off to her and Elle's bedroom, and wrenched open the window and climbed out on the fire escape. The metal was cold, and the clouds were heavy with snow, and the wind was stronger than ever up here. Ebony sat down, leaning against the railing, and pulled her knees to her chest.

_Me. A princess. I don't want to be a princess. I don't look like one either. _Dark eyes, olive skin, long dark hair. Weren't princesses supposed to be blonde, blue eyed, and pink cheeked? Perfect little darlings who were content to be bundled up in a ball gown and sit in a throne all day looking pretty? Ebony was none of that. She wanted adventure, she wanted justice. And most certainly, she didn't want to be a princess.

…

Another Friday, another Report. Ethan buttoned himself into his suit jacket, noticing his hands were shaking. Only this wasn't just any Report. No one had any idea about what was being presented tonight outside the royal family and a few security personnel. Tonight, Ebony Winters would shock Illea as the newest member of the Selection. She had just arrived at the palace early this morning after sneaking out of Yukon with two soldiers on foot, into Sonage, where they had gone by car into Labrador, where a plane could be flown safely. The rebel activity was increasing in Sonage, since it was so close to Yukon, and they were worried plane would be shot down.

She had been secreted away for a makeover and to be fitted into a gown for the Report. None of the girls knew she was here, and he wasn't looking forward to them finding out. He left his room, and hurried down to the basement, to the studio where the Reports were filmed. All the girls were there already, chatting to one another. He immediately caught Katherine's eye, and winked at her. She was wearing a place gray gown, and looked beautiful. Gracie and Lissa were talking to Wesley, but Gracie waved at him. The girls had gone all out for this Report. Each one of them was wearing a new gown, and they all looked magnificent.

They all took their seats, in the row behind the royal family as the photographers called for cues, and Ethan watched, slightly amused, as they all did some last minute primping, adjusting their hair and checking their makeup and adjusting their dresses. His eyes settled on Adele, resplendent in white and gold, and he noticed how long her hair had gotten, falling just below her shoulders in loose curls. Nat, in red, flashed him a thumbs up.

Ethan sat down between Michelle and Wesley, and waited for the glare of the stage lights—and inevitably, the glare of the girls. The anthem began playing, and Taren, the official announcer for the royal family, came onstage and opened the show. Some behind the scenes footage from the girl's photoshoot was shown, as well as some from the three dates he had been on with Adele, Katherine, and Gracie. Thankfully, so as to spare him from some attention, they had also recorded Andrew and Christine riding together, and included a quick interview shot of Wesley on the Selection. His idiot brother was joking, as he gave his opinions and said he couldn't wait for his own.

After all the lighthearted things concluded, his father took the podium to give an update on the rebels. There wasn't much of anything new. Just that the situation in Yukon was getting out of hand.

"As the rebellion movement continues to starve out the citizens of Yukon, we are doing all we can to provide aid, but our efforts continue to be thwarted. For these reasons, we have decided to do something quite unexpected. Ladies and gentlemen of Illea, we at the palace have an announcement to make. Joining us from Yukon, may I present, Lady Ebony Winters, the newest member of the Selection!"

The cameras swiveled off the king, to where Taren was escorting the girl Ethan presumed to be Ebony onto camera. He meant to watch the reactions of the other girls, but all he caught was their gasps of surprise and outrage. Lady Ebony Winters occupied most of his attention. He had only known her name and the few facts about her on her form. There had been no way to get her picture.

The first thing he noticed about her was that she wasn't smiling. She didn't look scared. Nothing about her even hinted at fear. There was an odd mix of unsure-ness and confidence on her face. She didn't look happy either. Her hair was really long, almost to her waist, and in thick dark waves. Her dark eyes, made smoky with dark copper eyeshadow and eyeliner, found his, and the corners of her mouth twitched up into a smile, as if she remembered she was on camera. She turned to them, and smiled and waved cautiously. Her mouth was wide, and her lips, though thin, were painted a deep red, contrasting to her dark olive complexion. He noticed that while she was tall, she was very thin, borderline malnourished. Still, she looked great in a strapless dark purple gown, with hints of magenta swirling through the chiffon fabric.

Ethan snuck a glance at the rest of the Elite. They were all staring at Ebony, shock written across their faces. Mackenzie's face was red, and she looked angrier than anything. Lissa and Nat didn't look too worried, just shocked. Gracie looked like she was about to cry, and Katherine's shoulders were slumped, and a betrayed expression marred her face. Adele's eyebrows were about to disappear into her hair, they were raised so high, and her mouth hung open slightly. Nicole was watching Ebony's every move as she curtsied to the royal family. Michaela was biting her lip, and Elvira was scowling. Sirena's face was actually blank, she was too surprised. After a moment, once they realized the cameras had switched to them, they smiled forcefully and offered up a light applause.

"Even though Lady Ebony hails from Yukon, this will have no bearing on Lady Nicole, since she was chosen earlier to represent Yukon. Lady Ebony will join the Elite in the Selection." King Jackson added, before handing the microphone back to Taren to ask Ebony a few questions. They sat in the pre-arranged chairs.

"So, Lady Ebony, if my information is correct, you just arrived here?"

Hesitantly, Ebony took the microphone and cleared her throat, looking overwhelmed. "Uh, yes, I just arrived here late this morning. And then I had to get a makeover." She added. "Apparently I wasn't good looking enough to show up on television." She laughed a little, but was gripping the microphone far too tightly.

"We all know you hail from Yukon, but can you tell us a little about yourself?" Taren asked.

"I'm a Seven. Not too sure why they picked a Seven, but I guess that's all that's left in Yukon. Those who could afford it left when the rebels invaded." She cast a glare at the king and queen. "And yes, I work in a bar." Ethan saw Lissa's expression soften slightly. "Um, I'm eighteen…I guess that's it."

"Are you excited to be here as part of Prince Ethan's Selection?" Taren's voice was loud and bubbly, so Ebony's response was quite a contrast. It was flat and forced.

"I guess so. He is pretty good looking." She added, smirking suggestively.

"Have you talked to him yet?"

"No…between all the beautifying and getting dressed I haven't met anyone except my maids."

"Well, we look forward to hearing about your first week at the palace next Friday, but I'm afraid that's all we have time for!" Taren turned back to the camera. "That's about all the time we have for this week, ladies and gentlemen of Illea! We'll see you all back next week!"

The anthem played again, and the cameras panned around on everyone. The rest of the Elite pasted on smiles and waved and blew kisses, and then the lights were turned down, and it was over. At least until the girls got their hands on him demanding to know why in the world they had let another girl in.

…

**Just want to give a standing ovation to **4Love4Love4 **not only for coming up with this idea which made you guys flip out, but also creating the wonderful character of Ebony. **

**The gowns for this chapter are on my Pinterst! Don't forget to ask me questions and most importantly REVIEW!  
and also vote. Yes, that too.**

**-Shades**


	69. Deal With It

**The Story: When you decide to be friendly and open up for your reviewers to ask random questions about you because you've been through everything together now and you love them all and no one does because either a) they know everything about you already from this ridiculous part of the update or b) they don't care. **

**I still love them, though. Thanks **UltimateMaxmericaShipper, delovlies, majestictales, LadyAnj, 4Love4Love4, PrincessSwim, rachelsoccerchica, pinterestobsessed, **and double shout out for forgetting to shout her out last time to **Demigod-Gallagher-Selected**!**

**...**

They were beyond mad. As soon as the Report ended, Gracie was on her feet, and stalking to the door. She could hear the sound of the other girls behind her, their high heels clicking defiantly. None of them even looked at Ebony as they stepped out into the hall. They were quiet until they were on the second floor.

"What in the world just happened?" Sirena exclaimed, now that they were away from the royal family.

"What was he thinking?" Katherine half-moaned, slumping against the wall of the hallway.

"This is beyond unfair." Mackenzie began pacing, arms crossed. "I can't believe this. _We've_ survived the rebel attacks, the eliminations, Sophia's stupid schooling, and _we _made it to the Elite."

"If she thinks she can just waltz in here and take our spot, then she is sorely mistaken." Adele said, shaking her head.

"It's obvious this is just a political move, guys." Elvira reminded them. "But you're right. She's a threat."

"What if falls for her? She was really pretty. She had that whole enigma thing going on." Gracie bit at her lip.

"Look, I bet it wasn't even his idea. I bet the king or the queen had something to do with it." Nat cut in.

"Either that or we just weren't good enough, so they had to bring in someone more interesting. The king's pick." Michaela said.

"Nat, why don't you talk to him?" Gracie cried. "Explain how we feel!"

"No way, I am not telling the king that he's unfair."

"No, not the king. Ethan!" Michaela put in. "C'mon, you're his friend. You said so yourself."

"Or at least divert his attention of her, and let her stick around for the rebels." Gracie clasped her hands together hopefully. "Please?"

"…uh, what do I tell him?" Nat wrinkled her brow.

"Just tell him that this is unfair." Nicole uncrossed her arms. "Tell him that you can't just add someone in. We've been through this ordeal for two months. They can't just do this!"

"I think they can. They're the royals." Nat fought back. "Look, guys, I don't like this anymore than you. But don't think there's anything we can do about it at this point. Just try extra hard to get Ethan to see you guys instead of her."

"We could at least give her a chance." Lissa spoke up. "I mean, she's been living in Yukon the whole time we've been here. That can't exactly be very easy."

"I don't care where she was living. I don't want her to live here!" Mackenzie cried. "I can take you being a Seven and all because you're actually nice." She said to Lissa. "But her…no way."

Gracie heard footsteps coming up the stairs.

"She's just a low down _pole dancer. _She's probably a rebel for all we know." Mackenzie continued. "I bet she'll kill us all in our sleep or do something in the rebel attacks or I don't know."

Gracie tried to get Mackenzie to shut up, because Ebony had just entered the hallway, hands on her hips.

"We'll have to do all we can to get rid of her. It's clear none of us want her here. Now _WHAT?_" She finally gave into Gracie, who just nodded her head in Ebony's direction. The girls immediately started, and Mackenzie's mouth snapped shut. For a moment there was just silence, as they waited for her to say something.

"I'll have you know I'm not a rebel." Ebony finally said, surprisingly calm. "And I'm not here to steal the crown. Or your prince away. I don't even want to be here, okay?"

"Then why don't you go home?" Mackenzie said, sarcastically sweet.

Ebony returned the sarcasm. "Oh, that would give you too much satisfaction. You must be Mackenzie?"

"Yes." Mackenzie lifted her chin in the air, out-sassed and not happy about it.

"Well, you'll have to tell me all of your names sometime. We don't get the Report in rebel controlled territory." She sauntered through their gathering. "Goodnight." She opened one of the doors vacated by one of the former Selected and disappeared.  
"That's it. She is so done." Mackenzie growled.

"Calm down!" Elvira restrained her. "You were being a jerk, you know."

"Whatever. Guys, we have to do all we can to get this brat out of here."

Sirena raised her eyebrows. "We?" She smiled, overly sweet. "Mackenzie, Mackenzie, could you, in fact, be becoming friends with us?"

Mackenzie sneered, and curled her lip in disgust. "Friends? No way. Not with the likes of you all." She stormed off to her room.

…

The invitation had been delivered, and now all that was left to do was wait. Ethan adjusted the sleeves of his dress shirt, and looked toward the door. At his father's insistence, he had asked Ebony to have breakfast with him instead of with the other girls. He hadn't even spoken to the newest member of the Selection yet, and to be honest, he was terrified.

He heard the sound of hurried footsteps, and then she appeared in the open doorway of the small lounge on the third floor. She looked slightly flustered, her long dark hair in curls and dressed in a deep purple day dress and high heels. She saw him, and then forced an automatic smile.

"Sorry I'm late." She said quickly. "I had a little trouble finding this place."

"Lady Ebony." He stood up, and awkwardly stepped closer to kiss her hand. After a moment, she realized and then jerked her hand.

"Oh, that's okay."

Ethan nodded, and then pulled out her chair and signaled to the waiter to bring them their food. They sat in silence as their breakfast was served. Ebony immediately dug in, cutting into her pancakes with gusto and shoveling in several mouthfuls.

"You really live here all the time?" She asked, pausing only to take a sip of orange juice. "It's huge!"

"Oh, uh, yes. Except on vacations and things." Ethan nodded to back up her statement and then went back to eating.

"Must get pretty lonely, in this big ol' place." She mumbled around a bite.

"Yeah…I suppose it does. So, have you met the other girls?"

"Last night. I don't think they took it very well." Ebony shrugged, and continued eating.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, they were all talking in the hall when I came. Apparently they thought I was some kind of rebel and they can't wait for me to leave. That Mackenzie girl did most of the talking. She's a jerk."

"So I've noticed." Ethan murmured.

Ebony took another bite and continued to talk. "It's obvious they don't want me here, and to be honest, I don't really want to be here either. I only signed up because my mom wanted me to." She stopped to swallow, her gaze focused outside on the window. She then looked at Ethan. "So you think they'll be okay?" She spoke as if it were an afterthought. "I mean, the rebels can't be very happy I'm here."

"Oh, yes. We've allowed for some additional security in your apartment building in case anything happens." He assured her, knowing he sounded like an idiot.

Ebony didn't respond, instead finished her meal in record time. When she realized she had finished, and Ethan had barely started, she cleared her throat, somewhat embarrassed.

"Sorry. I guess I need some manners lessons. That woman mentioned something that sound like that. And I haven't eaten such good food for a long time. There's not a lot of access to pancakes in rebel territory. You should fix that."

"I'm sorry?"

"The rebels? In Yukon? The crops have all been destroyed and they don't allow any imports from other provinces. A lot of people are going to die this winter if you don't do something to help."

"My father thought that adding you into the Selection would be the solution."

Ebony laughed cruelly. "We don't even get the Report there anymore. I doubt half of the province knows I'm here. You're going to have to do a little more than feed one girl breakfast." She pushed back her plate. "It's your job."

"Would you suggest sending in the army?"

"No way. That would just make the situation worse. The rebels aren't just in Yukon. And poverty is everywhere. People are mad. Clearly, you guys aren't doing a very good job."

_Wow. She isn't afraid to speak her mind._ "I'm not really in the positon to make these decisions. I'm not the heir and I'm not the king."

"Maybe you should try. The country could use someone like you."

…

The attitude in the Woman's Room was frosty, to say the least, as soon as Ebony entered after breakfast, but Sirena noticed that a certain newfound kinship existed between the original ten of them. The queen and princesses were not present, so they didn't bother to be polite. Or at least Mackenzie didn't.

"What are _you _doing here?" She asked, her tone bored and disdained.

"Am I not allowed to be?" Ebony raised an eyebrow. "That woman who is in charge of everything and never stops talking says this is where we're supposed to be during the day."

"Sophia is just following the king's orders. He obviously doesn't realize that you're not welcome here." Mackenzie sniffed.

"And why not? I'm one of you now, whether you like it or not." Ebony flounced past Mackenzie and sat down on the sofa by the television, and picked up a magazine. "So who's winning in the polls?"

"You are _not_ one us." Mackenzie growled.

"And why not?" Ebony crossed her legs lazily, not looking up from her magazine.

"You haven't been here for two days! We've been here for two months!" Sirena cut in.

"You haven't had to squeak past eliminations." Michaela added.

"Or stay in the popularity of the rest of the country." Adele said.

"Or learned the subtle art of flirting and kissing." Gracie reminded them. "And dancing and etiquette."

"Or survive rebel attacks." Lissa put in.

At this, Ebony jumped up. "Survive rebel attacks? You think _I _haven't had to survive rebel attacks? They've been attacking us for almost a year. They invaded almost three months ago, when they first announced this ridiculous little beauty pageant. So don't go talking about surviving the rebels."

"Excuse me, but Lissa was almost-" Sirena proceeded to tell the story of how Lissa had been in the gardens and almost killed during the masquerade, at the same time as all the other girls began to voice their opinions.

"This is not a beauty pageant. It's a way for Ethan to find his wife." Gracie cut in, at the same time as Sirena.

"You think this has been easy?" Michaela exclaimed. "Some of the girls here are as scary as the rebels!"

"We were all were almost killed the first attack! They set freaking bombs off!" Adele cried, her voice joining the fray. "And don't even get me started on the attack on Trentworth!"

"You're a civilian. It's nowhere near as scary as what the soldiers they send in do." Elvira added.

"Look, just because you just got here doesn't give you the right-" Mackenzie squawked, but was interrupted by the untimely arrival of Sophia. The infuriating woman clapped her hands to bring them to attention.

"Girls, girls, now is not the time for petty squabbles!" She cried. "I've just been given instructions from the queen. Now that you all are the Elite," Ten gazes shifted to Ebony crossly, but Sophia continued, unhindered. "The queen has decided you need some more experience with the duties that will fall upon you as princess."

"And what would that be?" Mackenzie mumbled angrily.

"The Italian royal family has just sent word that they will be visiting in three days. As you know, Princess Michelle is engaged to Prince Orlando, who was very nearly killed in the attack during the masquerade. Their engagement rests on shaky ground, especially with the little rebellion we have on our hands up north."

"It's not little." Ebony stated, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Yes, well, instead of Queen Francesca and the princesses arranging the reception, she has decided that you girls are to be put in charge."

"What?" Michaela gasped.

"Additionally, the prime minister of Zealand is meeting with the king, and his family has also been invited. There will be two events, and you will be put into teams and each team will be in charge of one event. The first event is the welcome reception for the representatives of Zealand, to be organized Ladies Gracie, Katherine, Mackenzie, Nat, Adele and now Ebony. The second event will be to celebrate the engagement of our princess to the Italian prince, to be organized by Ladies Elvira, Michaela, Lissa, Sirena and Nicole. I trust that the Zealand team will impart their knowledge to Lady Ebony, and even thought the numbers are slighted, Lady Ebony has not had the instruction the rest of you girls have, and the team of just five as an extra day. I will be here to help you with the details today."

For a moment, no one said anything. They were half in shock as she handed out packets of information on the number of guests, time of reception, meal specifics and so forth.

"I suggest you start now."

…

**Yeah, I know, I'm cheap, taking the idea from the books, but you guys kept telling me you wanted more stuff like this! **

**So hardly anyone asked me 'get to know your author questions' so it's open again! **

**Answers to those who did:  
**LadyAnj:

**No, I do not have a tumblr, but I have an overused Pinterest**

**Yes, majestictales is a wonderful human being who created by wonderful cover**

**Yes, I did update!**

PrincessSwim:

**Favorite Selection fanfic? I don't know. Mine, I guess. "Usurper" by **Snowshoer **is really good, as is "After the One one shots" but I'll always be partial to mine!**

delovlies**: because only she could make up a question like this *sigh***

**Dreamcast "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" regardless of singing and dancing abilities. I tried to actually be realistic, but only my actor loves made it in. Okay, here it goes this would be the best/worst thing ever but I would love it that's all that matters. **

**Adam-Richard Armitage; Benjamin: Dean O' Gorman; Caleb: Luke Evans; Dan: Aidan Turner; Ephraim: Jack Farthing; Frank: Joshua Burrage; Gideon: Ben Cook because one cannot imagine John Bell married. **

**Millie-Eleanor Tomlinson; Dorcas-Heida Reed; Ruth-My sister who made me do this; Martha-Evangeline Lilly because WHY NOT; Liza-Peggy Nesbitt; Sarah-Stephanie Styles because Katherine and Darcy forever; Alice-ME**

**Okay that's enough ridiculousness for one night. Please review!**

**-Shades**


	70. Don't Want to Fall in Love

**The Story: Shades's guide to proper ship name etiquette.**

**Right: Take the first half of one person's name and splice it with the second half of the other person's name. Play around with the combinations. Example: Maxon/America: Maxmerica. This may be hard with two short names or basically any name shipped with Ethan. (sorry not sorry)**

**Wrong: Unless with two short names, do not take the first letter of one person's name and add it to the second person's name. Example: Maxon/America does not equal Aaxon or Mmerica. That's just weird. That's just unfair. See what happens? **

PrincessSwim, UltimateMaxmericaShipper, delovlies, LadyAnj, majestictales, the5SOS-YAfangirl (**you're not dead!) and **Smiley face **thanks for reviewing! This is chapter SEVENTY! Speaking of which, I write everything in way too much detail. Like this chapter doesn't get into the parties at all because I drag everything out…**

…

Katherine sighed, and tried to focus on the task at hand. Apparently, it might be a little harder to be a princess than she originally thought. She tried to massage away her increasing headache, but it wasn't working. She must be thinking too much. Annalise always made fun of her for doing that. Except it was hard, when a new girl had been thrown into the mix, and she was starting to fall in love and hoping Ethan felt the same.

And for all it was cracked up to be, teamwork was the most annoying thing ever. Especially purposely sabotaged teamwork. Apparently, making Ebony look bad was more important than welcoming the representatives from Zealand, because they were supposed to make a mess of the whole reception and blame Ebony. Katherine didn't agree with the idea, but apparently everyone else thought it was a good idea.

So they were going to throw a disaster. Ebony had been summoned to have tea with the queen and the princesses, so the true Elite had plotted out what they were going to do. Although it was supposed to rain tomorrow, they were beginning the reception outside with a garden tea soirée, except they would forget to serve food and everyone would be hungry. The girls from the other team would complain about everything, and they six hostesses would completely ignore the dress code appropriate for a garden party, and Mackenzie had plans to make the whole thing look like Ebony's fault. After the rain pushed them indoors, dancing would begin, and by then, everyone would be starving, but dinner wouldn't be served for an hour later, and it was supposed to be a disaster.

They had put Ebony in charge of the food so they could blame her for hungry guests. Katherine was supposed to help Nat with the decorating for the banquet, and also decide what they should all wear to botch an appropriate dress code, and who should be seated where. She leaned her head on her hand, propped up on the table, and tried to block out the squabbling between Mackenzie, Gracie, and Ebony, now back. It was only worsening her headache, which hadn't seemed to go away since the Report had broadcasted the news of a new Elite. There were seven people from Zealand alone, and she had to make the worst seating imaginable. Zealand wasn't a monarchy, rather governed by a Prime Minister, since breaking with Great Britain years after the formation Illea. The Prime Minister was meeting King Jackson for purely diplomatic reasons, and they were on neutral terms. Katherine just hoped it wouldn't mess up relations just to make Ebony look bad.

Aside from Prime Minister Jed Gorman, there was his wife Katie, their twenty two year old son Dean and his fiancé Sarah, another seventeen year old son, Josh, and their fourteen year old daughter, Ruth. Also in attendance would be a cabinet member, Anders Vennor and his wife Margaret. Besides them, it would be the Elite plus Ebony, and the royal family. As Katherine tried to make the worst arrangement for the dinner, her mind wandered to Ethan. She hoped he didn't fall for Ebony. She hadn't seen him for a few days, he had been busy with prince-stuff, and she missed him. She didn't pine away, but she missed him, all the same.

She didn't like Ebony any more than the other girls did, and wished she wasn't here, but still, she didn't think downright insults like Mackenzie was helping the situation any. And attempting to make her team loose probably would only result in a very cross Sophia and an even crosser queen, and extra lessons. Katherine had a very bad feeling about it all.

…

Adele tried to look casual as she walked down the hallway of the second floor, under the guise of going back to her room to get something for the planning, apparently. Seeing no one in sight, she slipped quietly into the room next to her, formerly belonging to Cordelia. She went into the now abandoned closet, and Colin was waiting for her, in their arranged meeting spot.

"Thought I might find you here." He said, smirking.

"Are you kidding?" Adele grinned, and stepped closer to kiss him. His arms slid around her waist, and their lips met and thus ensued the making out. She knew it was wrong, cheating on Ethan. But when she was with Ethan or any of the other girls, all she could think about was seeing Colin again. She loved the way his false bravado pervaded his fears, his passion for life, and his fight for justice among the lower castes. Since they had both departed Trentworth, Colin had been working outside, as a groundskeeper, and also doing up keep and repair inside.

"So how long do we have?" Colin asked smoothly as they pulled away.

"A few minutes. We have to plan this stupid thing for the Prime Minister of Zealand." Adele said, sitting down on the carpet of the closet. Now empty of clothes, she realized just how large their closets were.

"Ah, yes. I heard about that. I'm supposed to help set up the things outside. Did you know it's going to rain?"

"That's the point. We're trying to make it all look like Ebony's fault." Adele explained as Colin slid down the wall next to her.

"Ah." He looked slightly confused, but Adele didn't bother with explanations. She still had feelings for Ethan, despite trying to get rid of them, and she didn't want to explain that they were trying to get rid of the new girl. Men could be so fickle about things like that.

"So, have you heard from your family?" Adele switched the topic of conversation.

"Yeah. Jack should be strong enough to move here later. Perhaps Viola can get work here, too. Being away from the clean air won't be good for Jack, though. But my mother thinks it's for the best."

"Me too." Adele scooted closer, and kissed his cheek, which led to some more kissing.

"Should I tell her about us?" Colin rudely interrupted a few minutes later.

"Us? What do you mean us?" Adele suddenly was floundering. For all his passion, sometimes when she was with Colin, she longed for Ethan's quieter ways.

"I mean…this." He pointed rapidly in between them.

"Colin, this is just this. This doesn't make us us." Adele said, getting to her feet.

"Okay…than what does 'this'," He pointed in between them again, indicating the kissing, "make 'us'."

"I don't know. But we're not 'us'. I'm in the Selection, remember?"

"You can't just kiss someone and pretend it doesn't mean anything!" Colin exclaimed, standing too.

"Could you keep your voice down, maybe?" Adele demanded in a hushed tone. "Look, Colin, I'm not saying I don't like you. I really really like you. You snuck up on me, and I never expected to start falling in love with someone like you—" She held up her hand to stop his interruption. "But I also still like Ethan. I try not to, but I can't help it. But I'm not ready to settle down with anyone yet."

"So you're saying you don't want to be tied down to one guy?"

"Technically, I'm supposed to be tied down to Ethan. But I'm not, obviously. I'm just not ready to tell him I lo-" Adele stumbled slightly over the words. "tell him I like you and run off and get married."

"We don't have to get married right away."

"I don't even know if I want to marry you. Sometimes you make me so angry I can hardly think straight!"

"You don't want to be a Seven, do you? I'm not good enough for you?"

"No, Colin that's not it!"

"I told you I know girls like you don't go for guys like me. But I thought maybe you'd be different. I guess not." He stalked out of the closet into the empty bedroom.

"I just don't know _what _to feel! I'm not good at making decisions!" Adele called after him.

"Yeah? Well, maybe I'll make it easier for you." He turned and walked out of the door, and didn't look back. Adele groaned in frustration, and followed him out the door, but went next door to her own bedroom, slamming the door for good measure.

She threw herself down on the bed, and tried to think of something to bring back to the Woman's Room to show she had, indeed, gone to get something. _We're just both too spirited, I guess. It never would have worked. _She tried to convince herself, but it wasn't working. She really really liked Colin, and there was one way she knew how to get him back.

Jealousy.

...

Lissa woke to the sound of her door opening. She sat up, smoothing back her hair. Wesley shut the door behind him softly, and bounded onto her bed like a little kid, grinning.

"Whatcha doing?" He whispered, settling down cross-legged.

"Sleeping. What's it look like." Lissa rubbed her eyes. The reception for the people from Zealand was the next day, and Lissa wished she could just skip it. It didn't seem right, being mean to Ebony.

"Not sleeping, because you look amazing and you just woke up." Wesley shrugged.

Lissa smiled, forgetting Ebony and the parties. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to show you something. It made me think of you." He clambered off her bed, and went to the balcony, and opened the doors. Reluctantly, Lissa threw off her blankets and followed him. He was leaning against the railing, looking down. "Look."

The garden was aglow, lit up in little golden lights, strung over the bushes, trees, everywhere. It had been raining earlier, leaving a lingering mist in the air, reminiscent of the one settling over the garden and woods after the masquerade attack. But the glowing lights chased away all the nightmares, all the gloom. The only word for it was magical.

"Oh, Wes!" Lissa sighed, clutching his arm in excitement. "It's magical!"

"I thought you would like it." He put his arm around her and hugged her close, nuzzling her hair. "So what do you think of Lady Ebony?"

"Oh, please, can we not talk about her? The girls are in a tizzy, and their being so mean to her. She's a Seven, like me. Sometimes, I think they forget that. They're saying how trashy she is, and I don't want to say I was in the same position, but I was." She frowned.

"Darlin' you could never be trashy." Wesley kissed her forehead. "No matter how hard you tried."

"You didn't know me before the Selection." Lissa reminded him.

"Even then. Sure, you may have been a burlesque dancer, but you weren't a trashy one. And you don't have a mean bone in your body."

Lissa swiveled her body so she could look up at him. "Does it ever snow here?" She asked randomly. Wesley glanced down at her, his forehead wrinkling.

"Snow? Here, on the west coast? We're two hours from the beach, Lis!"

"I guess that means no…" Lissa pouted.

"But I could make it snow for you if you wanted." Wesley whispered, wrapping his arms around her. "I'd do anything for you."

Lissa melted, and leaned back into his embrace. "I suppose that doesn't include throwing your title away and running away to the north, where it always snows?" She teased.

Wesley wrinkled his nose. "I would if I could. I'm expendable. I just wish they would let me do something instead of just looking pretty."

"Pretty isn't the word I would use." Lissa joked.

"No, you're right. You're pretty. I'm not."

Lissa laughed, and relaxed into his arms. For a while, they took in the mist shrouded glowing gardens. Then Lissa sighed.

"I wish this didn't have to end." Unexpected tears filled her eyes.

"Me too." He squeezed her tightly, crushing her against him. They knew this was impossible. This wasn't his Selection. Sooner or later, she'd be sent home or marry Ethan, though not likely. And then he would have his own Selection, and that would be that. "I don't think I'm ever going to love anyone the way I love you."

…

**Some requested Wessa fluff for **LadyAnj**! **

**Okay, question time. Err, answer time, I guess.**

UltimateMaxmericaShipper:

**Are you and your twin identical—yes. We are also crazy.**

**Are either of you like Nat and Nicole—I think certain qualities of them are each found in both of them, but no, I did not base them off each other. I guess in retrospect, I can actually be a pretty shy person, so I guess I'm more like Nicole in that aspect, but neither of us are dancers. I love horses and racing, but I don't pursue them actively. **

Majestictales:

**Which of the Selected do you look the most like—I'm assuming you mean from this story, and not the books because we got the physical description of like five of them…goodness, I have no idea. I'd say Gracie/Indiana Evans for hair color, but I'm not as pretty as her and my eyes are hazel. I'm super tall and I don't photograph well**

**We're identical twins!**

**Why do I not like Benedict Cumberbatch—I honestly don't know. I tend to get really annoyed by stuff everyone else talks about like Taylor Swift and Hunger Games, and his face is weird and his name is weird and yeah, I just don't know. **

Smileyface

**My favorite TV show—hmmm, I don't actually watch a lot of TV, but I would have to say "Poldark", "Dance Academy" or "House Hunters" or "Property Brothers" on HGTV because those shows are seriously addicting and they're always on for some reason…I'm also a casual watcher of Dancing with the Stars, but I usually just follow it online if that makes sense. **

**My favorite book—WHY THIS QUESTION I CANNOT PICK! Some of my all-time favorites are the Inheritance cycle, Lord of the Rings, Dragons in our Midst series, and the Obsidian Mountain series. I also like the Selection trilogy (obvs) although the Heir didn't really fly with me. Recent reads: "Cold Mountain" is good, if you get through the romanticism, as is "Water for Elephants" (although I do not recommend reading it). "To Kill a Mockingbird" is actually a good book to read for school, and I really enjoyed it! One of my all-time favorites is "Short Straw Bride" although I have no idea who wrote it. Michael Chriton writes some great science fiction books (like Jurassic Park). I also really like Joel Rosenberg, Bryan Davis and Mercedes Lackey as authors. I LIKE ALMOST EVERY BOOK I READ, OKAY. **

**Oh, yeah. Please review, and vote on my profile if it works!**

**-Shades**


	71. If We're United

**The Story: That moment when you're walking your dog and he decides to poop right at the moment you see your old crush JOGGING past you. Good thing I was wearing sunglasses….**

**Shout out to my reveiwers! **Delovlies, LadyAnj, UltimateMaxmericaShipper, PrincessSwim, Guest, Ilovethisbook, **and **Nameless**!**

…

The party was going quite well. At least from the perspective of how they had planned it. To everyone else, it seemed a disaster. Gracie surveyed the scene, still feeling nervous. Her stomach growled, and she knew everyone else was hungry too. The reception for the Prime Minister of Zealand had been secluded to begin at two in the afternoon, and dinner was scheduled, so no one had probably eaten lunch. Unfortunately for them, the only thing served until dinner was tea.

Gracie allowed herself a small smile of satisfaction. Mackenzie had the great of idea of telling all of them to wear evening gowns when Ebony was present, so the brunette now wore a strapless dark gray floor length gown, while the rest of them were dressed in tea-length dresses, like the rest of the women present. The skies were cloudy, promising rain, and the palace was quite a dash across the gardens. Everyone seemed bored.

"Change the tune, why don't you?" Sirena asked lazily to the solemn violin player providing music. "This isn't a funeral!" Although she was on the other team, they were all in this to sabotage Ebony, to keep Ethan theirs, and the five other girls from the other team—Sirena, Michaela, Elvira, Lissa, and Nicole—were supposed to help mess up everything. They were doing a pretty good job.

Elvira, dressed in black with thick eyeliner, glared dangerously at everyone and spoke to know one. Michaela had drunk a little too much tea and was very hyper, currently laughing it up with Ethan. Sirena was complaining and acting miserable. Nicole was trying to speak with the Prime Minister's wife Katie, and Sarah, who was engaged to their son Dean, but kept asking them to repeat things, claiming she couldn't understand their accents. Lissa was speaking to the youngest daughter, Ruth, and didn't seem to be very civil, as she was hanging on Wesley's arm and giggling incessantly.

Adele had also gone into flirt mode, and didn't seem to be working very hard to make the party a disaster. She had engaged the Prime Minister's son Dean in conversation as soon as he had been welcomed by King Jackson and Queen Francesca, and hadn't stopped. Poor Dean looked very uncomfortable as she stood quite close to them, by some of the male staff who were helping out with the garden party. Dean kept throwing glances at his fiancé, but to no avail.

Gracie tried to signal her, to get her to get the queen off their tail, but Adele didn't seem to notice. Instead she laughed loudly, and was now touching Dean's arm. One of the servants who had come with them from Trentworth, she recognized, stood close by, ready to help the maids transport more tea (and snacks, if there were any) from the palace, left the scene quickly.

"What's Adele doing?" Nat came up behind her, holding a microphone and Mackenzie's script. "She needs to get the queen away from here. If looks could kill, I'd be dead. I was standing by her, and she kept trying to get my attention."

"That bad?" Gracie nervously grabbed handfuls of the skirt of her pink dress. Nat raised her eyebrows.

"Are you kidding? That means its working!"

"Where's Katherine?" Gracie peered through the bored guests. Lissa did not look happy at all now, she noticed, and realized Ruth was flirting way too much with Wesley, she noticed.

"She and Michaela are keeping Ethan far too occupied to notice Ebony." Nat affirmed. "And Sirena is bossing Ebony around with her complaints, and keeping her far too occupied to notice Ethan."

"And Mackenzie?"

"Seducing Josh." Nat shivered, motioning to where the tall strawberry blonde was laughing seductively with the next youngest son.

"Poor kid. He's too young to be corrupted." Gracie shrugged. "But it's almost time for our welcome speech."

"It's going to suck!" Nat said gleefully. "Anyway, I think now is a good time to talk to Ethan about Ebony, so Katherine can go distract the queen, since Adele seems busy. The other girls can distract Sophia, hopefully. Can you give these to Mackenzie?" She handed Gracie the microphone and script.

Gracie grimaced. "I guess so."

"C'mon. You're on the same team. Give her a chance. She's actually been pretty decent to us since Ebony got here."

"That's because she's taking out all her meanness on Ebony." Gracie affirmed. "Okay. Oh, speaking of which, looks like she just escaped Sirena."

Sirena was hacking over her cup of tea, which they had agreed on as the signal if Ebony needed to be contained.

"Shoot." Nat hurried towards Ebony, and Gracie headed over to Mackenzie and Josh.

"Do you have a lot of tornados in Zealand?" She heard Mackenzie say. "I bet you're not afraid of them."

The seventeen year old flushed red as she walked her fingers up his arm. "Uh, yes, I mean no. We had a lot of flooding though last month. My father had to declare a state of emergency."

"I heard there were a lot of farmers in Zealand. Do they wear overalls like they do here? I bet you would _kill _in overalls."

"Mackenzie!" She called, overly sweet, before any more of her strange flirtation could continue. "Nat wanted me to give these to you. It's almost time to welcome our guests!" She smiled a toothpaste advertisement smile at Josh, who was sweating now. Mackenzie's smile fell flat.

"I guess you're right." She turned back to Josh. "_Lovely _meeting you, honey." She turned to Gracie and the two headed back.

"What's Adele doing? She's supposed to get the queen off our backs!" Mackenzie hissed.

"I don't know. She's not doing what she's supposed to. Nat went off to talk to Ethan and present him with our concerns, and Katherine is trying to talk to the queen."

"Katherine can't do it. She won't stand up to her. One question and the queen will see right through her. You better go get Adele." Mackenzie stormed off towards the angry looking queen. Gracie hurried past the king, Prime Minister Gorman, and the cabinet member, Anders Vennor, over to Adele.

"Adele!" She smiled through gritted teeth, and tried to nod discreetly at the queen. "The queen would like to speak with you."

"About what?" Adele snapped, her tone turning sour.

"Um, the tea and snacks." Gracie said quickly. Adele gave her look that said 'no!', but it was too late.

"Are there eny snekes?" Dean butted in, in his heavy Zealand accent. Adele took it all in stride.

"THERE ARE SNAKES?" She squealed, leaping towards Dean, all but in his lap. At that moment, the hidden sprinkler right behind them came on, showering the three of them in water. Adele screamed, and jumped up.

"We're having a party here!" She screamed at the gardener, the one who Gracie had noticed earlier. As all the sprinklers in the gardens went on, she heard Mackenzie yelling blame at Ebony.

"Ebony! I thought you talked to the gardeners to make sure this didn't happen!" She wailed, as the guests tried to shield themselves from the water.

"That was Nat's job!" Ebony retorted. The sprinklers turned off, leaving everything muddy and gross. No one looked very happy anymore.

The next thing she knew, Mackenzie muttered something to Ebony, who pushed her backwards, where Mackenzie landed on her backside in a huge mud puddle.

…

Katherine felt Ethan grab her arm as she tried to step away.

"I didn't expect this from you." He said, his voice low. "What are trying to accomplish by making Ebony look bad? The girl just got here!"

"I-It wasn't my idea." She stuttered, hurt by the anger in his eyes.

"So you just go along with it? This is low, Kate."

"I'm sorry." She squeaked out.

"Look, you guys weren't supposed to know this, but my father wants me to send someone home from the loosing team after all this. And this meeting is very important, too. The Prime Minister is very upset about the uprising in Yukon. He isn't happy with the way we're treating the situation, and the relations are tense."

"Uh oh." Katherine rubbed her forehead. Her headache was worse than ever now. "Okay, I got to fix this. And I will."

"You better. My father doesn't like you that much. If this keeps going south, it's between you and Gracie."

Katherine blinked back tears. "B-but I—this wasn't my idea!"

"So fix it." Ethan stalked away. Katherine hugged her arms around herself, trying to get hold of her composer. She had never seen him like that, and his words dug deep. She had a lot to do.

She took a deep breath. _Be strong. You can do it. You are _not _going home over a party._ _Get it together. _

As the clouds finally opened, showering the already wet guests with more water. Two of the servants pulled mud covered Mackenzie and Ebony apart, as Gracie burst into dramatic tears, apologizing profusely. Katherine ran up to Nat, who was trying not to laugh at the situation.

"We have to fix this. Ethan's mad. He's furious. He says this is a lot more important than we thought. And if we lose, there might be an elimination."

"What?" Nat face-palmed. "Okay. Okay. There's still the dinner. But that's all messed up too. Do you have a plan?"

"I was hoping you would." Katherine confessed.

"Alright. We'll wing it. C'mon."

Katherine and Nat ran on ahead to the Great Room through the rain, as the guests were shepherded up with maids carrying umbrellas. They had initially planned on time for everyone to change into evening wear, and then dancing before a late, late dinner would be served. That gave them enough time for everyone to change to fix the disaster of a party. Katherine quickly told the musicians that dancing was canceled, and to only play for enjoyment, and gathered up the place cards, and rearranging them to fix her awful seating arrangement, while Nat ran down to the kitchens to talk to the chefs about hurrying dinner. Hopefully, they would have it mostly prepared ahead of time.

"These decorations need to go." Katherine said, as she and Nat surveyed the room once those things had been accomplished. The flowers were obtrusive, clashing with the fabric drapings on the walls.

"We don't have time!" Nat exclaimed.

"Then we'll make time. Get rid of the wall hangings, this room is beautiful enough." Katherine said. "I'll go get my maids, and maybe they can help."

"Can we help?"

The two turned to see Gracie and Adele, still wet and bedraggled.

"Mackenzie and Ebony are on their way, but they had to change first. Ethan talked to us, too."

"Katherine felt her shoulders relax in relief. "It's about time!"

In short work, they managed to fix the decorations and everything, and even had enough time to change while Mackenzie and Ebony gave an extended apology and a rather botched welcome speech. Thankfully, the kitchen staff was able to finish the meal in time, since they had started in advance anyway. Appetizers were whipped up, complete with kiwis, as a nod to the Zealand representatives, who got quite a kick out of it.

Katherine was chatting with Sarah and Dean when she saw Ethan coming toward her. She tried to ignore him, but it was clear he had to speak his mind.

"Can I borrow her?" He asked, taking her hand.

Dean smiled. "Of course. Meybe I should heve hed a Selection myself." Sarah playfully swatted him on the arm, and Ethan led her away.

"I'm sorry for going after you."

"I guess we kind of deserved it. Things got a little out of hand." Katherine admitted as they stepped out onto the terrace.

"Well, you guys fixed it. I'm proud of you." He kissed her cheek. "And my dad just told me that relations should be secured for now."

"And the eliminations?"

"I may have exaggerated a bit." Ethan stuck his hands in his pockets. Katherine sighed, and shook her head. "Hey, it worked!" Ethan held up his hands in defense.

"About gave me a heart attack, too. What about Ebony? Did Nat talk to you?"

"She did. And I know you don't think it's fair, but it was mostly my dad. She's mostly just here for political reasons."

"Mostly?" Katherine eyed him.

He squeezed her hand. "Well, the people seem to like her, too."

"And what about you? Do you like her?" She nudged him with her shoulder.

"Eh, I don't know. A little too strong for me. Besides, I already like someone else." His eyes became very soft, and he brushed back the hair from her face.

"A lot of someone else's?" Katherine stepped back, and Ethan frowned.

"Look, Kate…I wish it was different. I wish I didn't have to go through a Selection. I wish I could be like them." He nodded to Sarah and Dean. "But at the same time, look how happy Andrew and Christine are. So happy they skipped out on this, and are probably making out somewhere…" He added.

"But that's just how it works. I get it. I may not like it, but I get it." Ethan smiled gratefully at her. "And at least one good thing came out of this."

"What would that be?"

"I got to see Mackenzie get tackled into the mud!"

…

"You could have saved me earlier."

Lissa looked up to see Wesley standing by her, where she was attempting to enjoy some ice cream as the last of the guests thank the hostesses of the other team and left.

"You looked pretty happy with Ruth." Lissa said glumly.

Wesley sat down next to her. "Aw, Lis, that girl's a nightmare. I only was nice to her because my mom told I better not be spending any time with you. Will you forgive me?"

"Oh, I don't know…" Lissa tried not to smile. It was hard to be mad at Wesley. "I _guess _so…" She sighed dramatically.

Wesley smirked. "I'd kiss you if we weren't in public."

…

**To the guest who asked questions, here ya go! Questions are still open! **

**If I could live anywhere in the world, where would it be—Hmmm, I don't know. Can I suddenly be freakishly talented and tour with the cast of Newsies? Either that or maybe Alaska or Hawaii or England**

**Favorite food—frosting, hands down. But chicken and dumplings from Cracker Barrel are a close second. **

**Okay, well that's about it! I think I finally got the polls fixed, so vote on who should be eliminated! Let me know what you would like to see more of, too, in a review!**

**Thanks for reading!**

**-Shades**


	72. Something Better Out There

**The Story: When you nag and nag your fellow writers to update because you don't have writers block so they shouldn't either and then you suddenly get it and feel really bad because it does exist after all. **

**Sorry for the time it took between updates. It took some time to figure out what this chapter should be, but I think it turned out pretty well!**

**Thanks to **4Love4Love4 (**x2), **UltimateMaxmericaShipper, delovlies, Smiley face, Lady Anj, majestictales, PrincessSwim, pinterestobsessed, **and **fairy not princess (**x3) for reviewing!**

**This is the other team's party, but it all turned into Sirena's POV and was much more thought focused than party focused. I also fangirled over their outfits a lot, and posted them on the Pinterest page!**

…

Sirena looked around in satisfaction at all the preparation that had gone into the event. They had agreed to not attempt to upstage the other girl's too much, since they had all been in on sabotaging Ebony, but the Great Room still looked lovely. They had left the lights up in the garden from yesterday's event with the people from Zealand, and the soft golden light twinkled out the windows and invited the guests to step out on the terrace to chat. The glass ceiling of the Great Room had been accented with deep purple satin fabric covering the ironwork that held it up. They had continued the theme, adding silver satin with the purple around the arches leading out to the terrace, and had used those colors as the tablecloth in the dining room, earlier at dinner.

Their guests were still making their way to the Great Room from dinner but Sirena and Lissa had run ahead to make sure everything was ready. Sirena signaled the musicians to begin playing, and smiled at Lissa, who looked a little nervous.

"You okay?" She asked

"Yeah. It just reminds me of the masquerade. And after."

"I think we'll be fine. Remember, even if anything does happen, they installed the safe rooms." Sirena patted her shoulder. She had actually been excited about this project. Usually, for all of Sophia's projects, she would do them barely adequately, bored. But she had been surprised to find herself taking over organizing the reception, and throwing all her energy into it. She was here, so she wanted to win. And this would certainly help. It provided a welcome distraction for all the problems and doubts that wiggled into her brain constantly. _Nothing will ruin tonight _she told herself firmly.

The reception was a black-tie affair, unlike yesterday. Sirena's maids had out done themselves with her latest dress. It was shimmering gold, and gorgeous, clinging to her curves with delicate sequined sleeves that ended just before her shoulder blades to sheer nude fabric to give the appearance of feathers. She left her hair down, curled and swept to one side. Lissa looked equally good, in a bright candy pink ball gown, with a high, square neckline. The color deepened to a rich coral in the skirt, and it was festooned with silver and blue crystals, bringing out her gray eyes.

But they looked dull compared to the large royal family of Italy. The all looked impeccable, in ball gowns and tuxes, and all of them looked like models. In addition to the king and queen, and Prince Orlando, the heir, who was engaged to Michelle, they had brought their four daughters, two of which had husbands and children of their own, and three younger sons, the oldest about the age of the Selected girls, much to the delight of Mackenzie. Apparently, Italians were quite close, as they had also brought at least ten more people with their extended family, aunts and uncles and so forth, all ranking nobles in the court. Sirena was glad they had been prepared for all of the guests.

The rest of their team scurried up behind the two. Michaela—in a delicate empire-waist ice blue gown, Elvira—in a black, backless ball gown, with long sleeves, and Nicole—in a lacy cream and dusky violet gown, with a full tulle skirt. They welcomed the guests as they entered the Great Room, and thankfully, Andrew and Christine took the cue and started to dance. The last ones to enter were the other six Selected.

"This is certainly better than ours." Katherine admitted. She had gone a little different from her usual lace and looked stunning and classy in a strapless teal gown, with beading practically dripping off the bodice, before melting into the tulle.

"It's not your fault it rained." Elvira said, with her usual seriousness, which struck them as funny.

"Yeah, you've done well." Nat, in black and white, said, high-fiving Sirena and giving Nicole a side hug.

"I'll say." Ebony snorted. "You guys can't plan anything."

"You're the one who pushed me into the mud!" Mackenzie cried.

"Guys, no more making scenes. We're probably going to get extra lessons as it is!" Gracie jumped in.

Sirena wasn't quite ready to accept Ebony's presence, but it was clear she wasn't going anywhere, no matter what they did. Still, it annoyed her how good the new girl looked, in a dramatic deep wine colored ball gown, the skirt ruffled in edgy patterns, her black hair shining against the diamond choker adorning her throat. Mackenzie was glaring daggers at Ebony, since she also wore red. Her dress was a lighter red, with a plunging neckline, fitting to her curves before flaring out in a trumpet style.

"Yes, well, tell that to her." Mackenzie sauntered by them, brushing past Ebony, and pounced on Ethan, engaging him in a dance.

"Poor guy." Adele snickered, resplendent in a glitzy silver gown overlaid with white tulle, fastened on one shoulder. "Her maids should really make her dresses a little higher."

The girls observed, trying not to laugh too impolitely as they watch Mackenzie use her ample chest to try to seduce Ethan. His face was deep red as they danced, and her boobs were about to fall out of her dress. As they giggled, several of the Italian courtiers arrived, and took Elvira, Adele, and Nat away to dance.

Lissa and Gracie, in a cute dress with a silver strapless bodice and a feathery pink skirt left to go speak to Prince Wesley. Katherine, Nicole, and Michaela linked arms and set off to speak to the other guests, leaving Sirena with Ebony. Sirena maintained the silence between them, and watched as Ethan extracted himself away from Mackenzie and her boobs, and approached them. She smiled at him, ready to dance the night away and listen to him congratulate her on the party. Since deciding that she was in it to win it, she had stopped fooling around and flirting with the other men, and put her energy into flirting with Ethan, but so far, he hadn't seemed to notice.

"Oh…uh, your Highness." Ebony curtsied awkwardly, although it was more just a bob of her knees.

He held out his hand, smiling a tight lipped smile. "Lady Ebony, would you care to dance?"

Ebony looked like a deer in the headlights. "I don't know how." She said, her voice panic stricken.

"It's not that hard. I'll show you." Ethan smiled warmly at her, and Sirena noticed he wasn't blushing like he so often did. Ebony took his hand with uncertainty, and followed him to join the other dancers. Sirena watched them, Ebony laughing at her mistakes, and clumsily following Ethan. He held her, smiling at her awkwardness and unsteadiness. They seemed happy.

Happiness she had never known.

This was going to be a lot harder than expected.

Sirena felt her smile slip, and she watched the two with a knot growing in her chest. Vaguely she noticed most of the other girls glaring at _their _prince with this intruder.

She went off in search of something to drink. Preferably something strong enough so that she wouldn't remember any of this and it would all turn to giddy drunkenness.

.

She was midway through a second glass of wine when Ethan finally relinquished Ebony and left to talk to some of the Italians, leaving her and all the other girls frustrated and jittery.

"They can't just let someone in after all we've been through. It's unfair." Adele commented, scowling. She seemed moodier than usual. "It upsets the internal balance."

"Not that we had much in the first place." Elvira remarked. "I'm surprised one of you hasn't killed anyone yet."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Adele snapped, her voice high pitched and strained. \

Elvira didn't flinch. "Nothing to react over. Just when you get all this estrogen in one place and one love interest, things get a little crazy. I mean, if looks could kill Ebony would already be dead." She turned around and walked away, and Adele stormed off in the other.

Sirena sighed and finished off her glass, still not feeling less depressed. Not really wanting to be around anyone, and leaving the other girls to be hostesses, she slipped out onto the terrace, into the cool late summer night and the twinkling of the garden lights. She found Princess Michelle, standing by herself, and she didn't look very happy. Sirena didn't blame her.

The reception was restoring the balance between Illea and Italy that had been upset during the masquerade attack, in which Prince Orlando had almost been killed, but it was also an unofficial celebration of her engagement to him

"You okay?" Sirena approached her.

Michelle looked up sharply. "Oh. I didn't see you there. It's nothing." She looked back out over the garden, the light catching on her gold necklace, enhancing her navy blue mermaid style gown.

"Not too thrilled about your fiancé?"

Michelle shook her head, not saying anything.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

She shook her head again, and Sirena turned to leave the princess alone.

"I get that I'm not as valuable as my brothers, I get it. I'm a girl." Apparently she did want to talk. "I'm getting married to form an alliance. I just wish that maybe I could get married for love."

"Who doesn't?" Sirena said softly. She had been privy to Michelle and one of the guard's affection and devotion to one another during the masquerade attack, and it was clear Michelle didn't want to marry Prince Orlando. She and Nat had spent some time with the rambunctious princess at Trentworth, and Sirena knew she would never be happy with a guy like Prince Orlando.

"I mean, Orlando's…nice. But he's all pomp and circumstance and he's never done anything courageous in his life. He's spoiled and stupid. And I'm going to marry him and move away to Italy to be queen of a country I wasn't born in. I don't even like spaghetti that much." She laughed half-heartedly. "I don't love him and I never will."

"There's someone else." It was a statement, not a question.

"Yeah. But David's just a guard. I could never marry him… unless the guards decided to go on strike or something." She was silent, and then broke down. "Sorry." She squeaked out, wiping at her eyes. "You probably don't want to hear me rant and rave." She was only succeeding in smudging her makeup around.

"No, it's fine." Sirena patted her on the shoulder. "I would want me to listen to me if I was stuck in your place."

"I hope you never have to be. Promise me that if you end up with my brother it's because you love him and not just the idea of him. And if you have a daughter, at least let have her own Selection or something."

Sirena nodded, and looked away. She wasn't quite sure what to say. _Am I only in love with the idea of being in love?_ She asked of herself. 

Pushing the thoughts away, Sirena focused on Michelle. "I will."

"Good. You know, for a while, I thought it was possible. To end up happy, and marry someone I loved. I guess you can't be a princess and marry who you love."

"You could always just not be a princess." Sirena suggested.

"The only way that would happen is if I were queen, or dead." Michelle said, humorlessly. "I better be going back in. I don't want people talking too much about my absences."

"You're right. I'll stay out here a little longer. Need to clear my head."

Michelle's footsteps disappeared back inside, and Sirena was left alone. After a moment, she pasted on a smile, not quite ready to confront her thoughts, and went back inside to pretend to be happy and a good hostess. The party lasted several more hours. Everyone danced, the Italian girls kicking off their high heels and requesting better music. Sirena pretended to enjoy herself, but for once, not even this party or getting drunk was helping.

By midnight, all their guests seemed a little more than tipsy, and Michelle wasn't even trying to look happy. Sirena got her team together, and they thanked everyone for coming, signaling it was over. It took several more minutes for them to take the hint, but Sirena was ready to leave. She left the other girls to play hostess, and snuck away to the gardens.

It had rained almost every day for a week as summer waned into fall, and it was drizzling now, but she couldn't even pretend anymore. She had to be by herself.

She wasn't in love with Ethan. It was time to face the facts. She had been thinking she should love him. She should want this. She had let herself fall in love with the idea of being in love with him. He would make her happy. He would make her love herself again. He would replace the emptiness she felt. She _wanted _to love him, but more importantly, she wanted him to love her. She _needed _him to love her.

The rain was coming down harder now. Caring not for the gown her maids had worked so hard on, she continued to wander through the gardens, and didn't even realize she was crying. Sirena Mastrano didn't cry. She collapsed on a bench, shivering. She pulled her knees to her chest, the gardens no longer holding their magic. _I've only been pretending. I'll never be happy._ She continued to sit there, crying for all that she wanted and never had, for all her wasted time, and despising herself.

After a while, she picked herself up, wiped the traces of black mascara off her cheeks, and headed back to her room. Crying in the rain wasn't going to fix anything. She just wanted to go to sleep. The Great Room was dark, and the hallways were empty. Leaving a trail of water in her wake, Sirena slowly climbed the stairs to the second floor.

Ethan was there, heading up to the third floor. Probably visiting Katherine or Ebony or one of the other—happy—girls.

"Sirena?" He asked, his voice echoing in the dark, empty hallways. "Are you okay?"

He approached. Sirena tried to think of an appropriate response but her brain was just too numb. "Are you okay?" He repeated, lightly touching her shoulder.

Her resolve crumbled. "No." She shook her head, starting to cry again. "No, I'm not."

Ethan put both hands on her shoulders, and stared at her hard. "What's wrong? Is it the rebels? Have you been hurt? Are-"

Sirena didn't reply or bother letting him finish. She interrupted him instead, kissing him with all the hopelessness and despair she felt, her arms going around his neck. She kept crying, unable to stop. It took him a moment to respond, and he was tentative and unsure. Sirena back him against the wall, her hands sliding down to his shirt, where she began undoing the buttons, simultaneously slipping her shoulders out of the sleeves of her dress.

_Stop. _She tried to tell herself, but she needed him to love her. She kissed him harder, sensing him pulling back. Finally, she managed to make herself stop.

_I'm no better than Mackenzie. _

"Why did you keep me? As part of the Elite?" The words were demanding, desperate for some sort of a sign. Sirena was still crying. She pulled her dress back up over her bra, and put the sleeves back on before hugging herself to keep everything inside.

Breathing hard, and buttoning his shirt back up, Ethan took a moment to respond. "I like you. Everything you get involved in suddenly becomes more fun."

Sirena could only nod. There was more she wanted to ask. More answers she sought. But she didn't want to hear the truth. "Sorry." She smoothed back her wet hair, and retreated down the hall to her room.

…

**Sirena is a really complex character, and I'm trying to figure out where she fits into all this…sorry to end on a depressing note! Shout out to **PrincessSwim, majestictales, **and **4Love4Love4 (**x2**) **for updating! You guys rock!**

**Okay, still more questions!**

**Smiley face: Universal or Disney World?: Well, I've only been to Disney world and I was in third grade so….**

**Tea or Coffee: I'm not really a fan of either, but I love hot chocolate and coffee flavored desserts!**

**Zoo or aquarium: Zoo. I hate sharks!**

**LadyAnj: (Don't want to get some of my younger readers in trouble so check reviews for question, sorry!) Jack (Weakness for the name), Clarkson (Dude, queen status), Burke (Seriously man? Asparagus?) **

**Majestictales: YES THAT IS MY LIFE YOU KNOW ME SO WELL! I usually over listen and then don't like it as much anymore…currently I'm not really obsessed with one song, I've been floundering in my music tastes because I used to listen to mostly country music but I'm not a fan of any of the new releases at all, but I randomly found a singer on YouTube, Karliene, and I really like her original songs (and she covers some classic and songs from LotR, Game of Thrones, Outlander and others, and I love those too!). I also gave in recently and watched Les Miserables, so I've listening to those songs a lot too!**

**Anyway, I think I fixed the poll, please let me know if it doesn't work. I added a few more votes, so vote out who you want to be eliminated! Check out the Pinterest page for outfits and pin yourselves! I miss it! And REVIEW, of course!**

**-Shades**


	73. You're The Only Person

**The Story: Confessions, inspired by conversations with you guys and reviews. **

**I have never seen **_**Tangled **_**or **_**Frozen. **_**And I don't plan to. **

**I can honestly say I have never been to Starbucks. **

**I didn't really like **_**The Heir. **_**But I love cheesecake. A lot.**

**Never ending shout outs and love to my awesome reviewers! Love you all! **LadyAnj, majestictales, UltimateMaxmericaShipper, delovlies, Smiley face, pinterestobsessed, PrincessSwim, **and **fairy not princess (**x2!**)**!**

**This is a sort of just tying up some loose ends from the last few chapters! I started a clean poll with (but same question) about who to eliminate next so please vote, because that will start soon!**

…

Sirena snuggled deeper into her bed, wishing she could just go back to sleep. She didn't want to think about any of this. Her maids had sent a note saying she was feeling ill, which wasn't exactly a lie. Her head throbbed from too much to drink last night, during the party and once she had returned to her room. Her eyes felt swollen from crying and she felt miserable. Another crash and burn low. She was confused. She wanted things to be clear. And she had no idea what she was doing here.

The door burst open, and Nat bounced into her room. Sirena winced at the noise.

"Just coming to visit my favorite hokey player! Sophia's got it in her head that that garden party plot to sabotage Ebony deserves more party planning lessons that you get to miss, since you're playing hokey." Nat threw open the curtains, letting in the bright sunlight. Sirena moaned, and burrowed under the pillows.

"So are you really sick or just hungover?" Nat asked, and Sirena felt the bed compress as her friend sat down on the edge.

"Depressed." Sirena mumbled, her voice muffled by the blankets. Nat pulled them off, and Sirena let her.

"What's wrong?" The enthusiasm had left Nat's voice, replaced by concern. Sirena took one look at the compassion in her friends face, and burst into tears. Nat wrapped her arms around her and let her cry—again.

"I don't know what I'm doing." Sirena sobbed. "I decided I should want this, but I don't know if I do. I want to love Ethan but I don't. I want him to be in love with me but he's not." Sirena wiped her nose miserably.

"You're in love with the idea of being in love."

"I think it might make me happy." Sirena shrugged, utterly spent. "Because I'm not."

"Listen, girl. No one is going to make you happy but yourself. And no guy is going to do it for you."

"Then why haven't I made myself happy in these last nineteen years?" Sirena pulled away from her friend, and lay on her side. "I've always used something—parties, guys, volleyball, controlling what I ate until I didn't eat anything…I can't do it by myself!"

"Yes, you can! Sit up." Nat commanded. Reluctantly, Sirena did. "Look, its okay to be sad. But ultimately, some guy you don't even love being in love with you isn't going to make you happy! Deciding that you should love him isn't real, either, and it won't make you happy. You need to ask yourself what will. Whether that be your friends, having fun, or whatever!"

Sirena took a deep breath, and let it out. She knew Nat was right. "It's just that I want someone to love me for me. And I maybe thought it could be Ethan. But it's not. He doesn't love me, he loves Katherine. Because he's perfect. And she's perfect. All the others are. But I'm not. I'm imperfect."

"You're seriously deluded if you think I'm perfect." Nat jested. "And I'm pretty sure the same goes for at least Mackenzie. I can think of plenty of flaws in Ethan too." Nat hooked her arm around Sirena's shoulders. "Nobody's perfect."

"I think…I think I'm scared." Sirena said after a moment. "I'm scared of not being good enough."

"At what?"

"Everything."

"Then don't." Nat jumped off Sirena's bed, and held out her hand. "Just trust that you are."

Reluctantly, Sirena reached for her friend's hand and climbed out of bed. Nat smiled.

"C'mon. Sophia has a big announcement to make. Let's get you presentable."

Sirena had sent her maids away and didn't bother calling them. She took a shower and brushed her teeth and Nat helped her with her hair and makeup.

"You shouldn't be ashamed of how you look. You're easily one of the prettiest here." Nat said as she hairsprayed Sirena's curly ponytail.

"It's because of my hair. Everyone thinks redheads are prettier." Sirena carefully applied mascara, each makeup application feeling a bit more like a shield. Nat had found a navy peplum dress for her, with silver pumps.

"Don't forget the war paint." Nat handed her a tube of bright red lipstick, her signature look. Sirena managed a smile and took the lipstick and applied a heavy coat.

As long as she had friends, she would make it.

…

Adele was heading back to her room after breakfast, hoping to have some time to herself before they had lessons, when she suddenly found herself yanked into one of the vacated guest rooms, a hand over her mouth.

"Hey!" She squawked, when the hand was removed. "Oh. It's you." She smiled at Colin, finding herself in their usual make out spot. She ran a hand over his arm, but then yanked it away. "Never mind. I'm still mad at you." She remembered, crossing her arms and turning away.

"I know. I came to apologize. It was uncalled for to yell at you."

"And turn a sprinkler on me?" Adele shot back.

"It was also uncalled for you to flirt so shamelessly with that guy."

"Well, I was trying to make you jealous, so…" She muttered.

"Oh really?" Colin looped his arm around her waist in pulled her close. Adele scowled, and looked away. "Well, I'm sorry for yelling at you the other day. It's just been pretty full on since moving here."

"What do you mean?" Adele decided to forgive him, but not to let him quite know.

"If I thought Trentworth was bad, this city is awful. Poverty everywhere. I guess it just got to me."

Adele kissed him on the lips. "It's forgiven. I guess I should apologize too. I'm just confused, is all. And maybe a little scared. And not good at making commitments."

Colin smiled, and they sat down, his arm draped lazily over her shoulder. "I'd be scared, too. Going from here to a Seven wouldn't be easy. Things are getting bad. I've been going to some meetings…people are trying to change things…"

"Rebels?"

"Not in the sense you think. Those rebels want to end the monarchy and they're willing to kill. We just want to change things. Help out the poor."

"Isn't that a little dangerous, going to meetings? You work for the palace, and they might start thinking you're a rebel."

"I'm being careful." He rubbed his thumb over her collarbone, and then kissed her forehead. "Don't worry about me. You've got enough to worry about…gowns, competitor's princes, and makeup-"

"Oh, stop." Adele playfully swatted at him, and then leaned against his chest, wishing time would slow down for just a little while and they could just _be _and not have to worry. "So tell me about it. What are you trying to do?"

Colin ran his hand over the back of her head, and sighed heavily. "We want things to go back to the way they were. You know, people used to have…rights. They weren't stuck in their castes. They could be whatever they wanted, as long as they worked hard at it. They had a say in the government, they elected their representatives, and there was no supreme monarchy. And even back then, the United States was pretty large, but all this territory in the south and the north…it's too big. The king can't possibly control everything. There are too many people and not enough jobs, and the programs they have to help people in poverty sound like a good idea, but we keep paying taxes and nothing ever changes. And the king doesn't care. We have no freedom, we have no say. It was better the way it was."

"But isn't that why they invaded? Why we had to go to a monarchy?"

"The country was invaded because of irresponsible choices. And maybe for a time, the monarchy was the solution. And maybe it still is, I don't know. But if the country keeps going like this…all I know is that something needs to change."

"What about us? Do we need to change?" Adele asked after a moment.

Colin chuckled. "Okay, two days ago, you freaked out when I said the word 'us'. And now you want a change? So what's that about?"

"I don't know. Yeah, sure you're probably the most irritating and annoying person I've ever met," Adele nudged him playfully in the ribs.

"And most of the time, I don't even want to be around you…but then there's other times when you're the only person." Adele trailed off, not quite ready to open her heart. She took a deep breath.

"I guess….I guess I realized when you took me into town that being a One or a Two doesn't necessarily make you happy. Sure, it makes life a whole lot easier, but if you don't get to be with who you love, then what's the point? And then I get these glimpses where my life is just one big act, and I don't want it to be."

Colin was quiet, taking in her words. "What do you want it to be?" He slipped his hand around hers.

"Can't you see it in my eyes?" Adele joked, leaning closer. Colin kissed her softly, his lips lingering.

"So what does that make us?" He asked, pulling away.

"I don't know. I still don't know what I should do. Can we just call it 'in love'?"

"'In love' it is. Now, shouldn't they be expecting you back in the Woman's Room soon?"

"Shoot!" Adele jumped up. "Yeah, I forgot. You have a tendency to make me do that." She kissed him once quickly, and then hurried back downstairs.

…

Apparently, Ethan had no loyalty. Ebony had been on a date.

Gracie listened unhappily as Mackenzie hounded her for the details, pacing back and forth as they waited for the rest of the girls and Sophia for lessons. Michaela, Katherine, Lissa and Elvira were all there too.

"Archery? Care to be a little more specific?"

"It's private." Ebony snapped, smoothing her midnight blue day dress.

"Well, we kinda have this thing…" Gracie began. She loved Ethan, and she would willingly marry him if he asked now, and one more girl to distract him was no helping.

"We tell each other what happens on our dates and stuff." Michaela offered. "We don't keep secrets."

"So I don't get to part of your little club if I don't. Darn." Ebony flipped her hair, and opened a magazine. "It's so boring around here. Don't you guys do anything besides gossip and be jealous?"

"We do things." Nicole said, coming in, Adele right behind her. "You haven't been here long enough."

"I hope I don't have to stick around." Ebony muttered.

"I have quite an announcement for you ladies, and then we will begin today's lessons!" Sophia sang out as she entered the Woman's Room.

"What's it today? Flower arrangements?" Ebony scoffed. Mackenzie sighed loudly, and Gracie sneered a smile at her. Sophia obviously hadn't heard the remark, too busy glaring at Sirena and Nat as they entered.

"Glad to be graced with your presence, Lady Sirena." She sniffed. "Our staff at the Report has approached the royal family with an idea, and the king and queen have endorsed the idea in an attempt to appease the public."

"It's about time." Ebony grumbled. This time, all the girls added their glares to her.

"Some latest press information has reported that the public wants to see you girls in some sort of competition. So on this week's Report, all but the first fifteen minutes will be devoted to that competition, which will be filmed and take place tomorrow, and then will be edited into forty five minutes for Friday."

"What's the competition?"

"Well, we figured that any sort of political debates or something of that nature would only make people unhappy. So you girls will be put on four teams, along with the princesses and princes, and you will compete in a bake-off. Now the rules-"

"Are you crazy?" Ebony leapt to her feet, obviously not paying attention to the twenty times a day when Sophia reminded them not to shout or speak out of turn. "A bake-off? We're making pastries when people are starving, dying, and getting shot, by the rebels for being out after dark? This won't appease the public? This is ludicrous!"

"It's also mandatory, Lady Ebony." Sophia said sternly. "And now please sit down. Due to your recent displays of hosting, we will doing additional work on garden parties. And may I remind you, ladies, that a princess never raises her voice or speaks out of turn or argues with the king and queen."  
…

**Alright, a little short, but this took me a while to figure out!  
I would love to hear any suggestions about next chapter (which will the bake-off thing i.e cupcake wars) as well as for a certain character or just for the story in general, and anymore ideas for Elite things. Certain things like the Convicting and philanthropy projects will take place with a smaller number of girls, fyi. Also, which characters do you like hearing from, and let me know if I'm not portraying your character correctly please!**

**Also, vote, check out Pinterest, and as always, REVIEW!**

***vents about the grossly huge amount of new SYOC stories published lately***

**-Shades**


	74. Hell on Heels

**The Story: HAPPY BIRTHDAY "SELECTED TWINS"! Can't believe it's been a year of (fairly) steady updates! This is a first! A huge thank you to all my wonderful readers, especially those of you who review. Love you all so much and couldn't have done it without you! **

**Especially to **majestictales, UltimateMaxmericaShipper, delovies, LadyAnj, 4Love4Love4, delovlies, fairy not princess, Smiley face, **and **PrincessSwim **for reviewing last time! **

**The promised bake-off. It's basically "Cupcake Wars" with a tone of drama! These teams took forever to come up with. Shout out to **UltimateMaxmericaShipper **for taking the time to send me her ideas and to **delovlies **for spending an entire afternoon almost a month ago baking with me and exhausting almost every team combination!**

…

This was going to be a disaster.

Cameras were everywhere, the kitchens were emptied out and prepped for a bake off, and the girls were dressed in color coordinated dresses designed by Amber, now that she back at work, as part of her new campaign, all covered with cute aprons, and the teams had been chosen randomly.

That had been a mistake.

The four royal children had served as the heads of the teams. Andrew had ended up with his wife, of course, that probably hadn't been random, as well as Michaela and Elvira, in blue. Much to the queen's displeasure, Wesley had scored Lissa on his team, as well as Nicole and Katherine, in white. Michelle wasn't looking to happy to be with Mackenzie, Gracie, and Adele, in pink, who were already fighting, when they weren't looking over angrily at Ethan's team-Ebony, Nat, and Sirena, in green.

The challenge was simple enough. In a poll, the public who were actually interested in this had voted that the teams make cupcakes. They were to make three different flavors, and would be judged by the judges—the king and queen, Sophia, and Taren—on taste and presentation. Cameras would capture everything in the three hour time frame, then cut down to forty five minutes and edited to be shown on the Report.

And everything was going to be a disaster.

…

"It's so unfair." Mackenzie fixed her eyes across the kitchens on Ethan and Ebony, and crossed her arms, tightening her jaw. "Why does she get to be on his team?"

"It was random." Adele brushed by her with several mixing bowls balanced precariously on each other. "The least we can do it beat them. So let's get started."

"The least we can do is nothing." Michelle grumbled.

"Okay, guys. Flavors. This is the fun part." Gracie clapped her hands together eagerly. "I'm thinking a play on raspberry lemonade, maybe lemon cupcakes with a fresh lemon curd filling and raspberry buttercream for our first one?"

"Sounds complicated." Adele wrinkled her nose.

"That's why you have me on your team!" Gracie exclaimed. "Next, maybe an interpretation of an s'mores? Chocolate cake on a graham cracker crust with a meringue frosting? And then the last one should be simple. Maybe snickerdoodle? Spice cake with a cinnamon cream cheese frosting?"

"Well, you have the most experience, so hopefully you can execute this." Michelle shrugged, filing through a recipe book. Gracie started the lemon cake, and set Mackenzie and Adele on the chocolate and snickerdoodle, and Michelle started straining the raspberries for the frosting.

"I don't understand how he could like a girl like Ebony." Mackenzie began the conversation again as she sifted flour into a bowl. "She's way too overbearing, she has too many ideas, and she has _no _poise-"

"Okay, the pathetic boy talk stops now." Michelle snapped, jamming raspberries through the strainer. "We're the only team of all girls. We can totally beat my brothers."

"Ethan is not pathetic." Gracie mumbled, switching on her mixer.

"You just say that because you think you're hopelessly in love." Adele reminded her.

"You should know. You were _all _over him at Trentworth." Mackenzie sneered.

"So were you." Gracie mumbled.

"Guys, he's my brother. Don't talk about kissing him in front of me." Michelle rolled her eyes. "C'mon. Less talking, more baking."

…

"Vanilla, chocolate, strawberry. What could be easier than that?" Wesley shrugged.

"Well, it doesn't seem very creative…" Katherine suggested.

"It's judged on taste and presentation. I don't think creativity matters much." Nicole fiddled with a stirring spoon. "We need to get going. We have a two hours and ten minutes left."

"Okay. I guess that works." Katherine set the cookbook on the counter.

"Are you sure? You're the only one who knows anything about baking here." Lissa said.

"Yeah, but we mostly did bread and stuff. I'm not the cake expert." Katherine looked over her shoulder, catching sight of Ebony and Ethan pouring over a recipe book together. She frowned, and turned back to her team. "Whatever you guys think is best."

"So here's a recipe for chocolate cake, and here's one for vanilla. I don't see strawberry." Wesley squinted at the cookbook. "Oh, I didn't know frosting was made out of butter?! Who knew?" He held out the cookbook and pointed, grinning idiotically. Lissa giggled, and punched his arm gently.

"Too busy having all your meals cooked for you, Mr. Prince?" She teased.

"We still need one more flavor." Katherine flipped through the pages.

"What if we put chocolate chips in the cake?" Wesley exclaimed, pulling out a bag from their designated pantry and eating a handful. "Or cookie dough? Kath?" He glanced at her. "Can you make frosting taste like cookie dough?"

"I can try." She bit her lip. "Let's put that on the vanilla cake, and do a coffee cake for the chocolate frosting, and put the vanilla frosting on the chocolate cake."

"Wait, can you repeat that?" Wesley said around a mouthful of chocolate chips.

"Do you need a leash?" Lissa stole the bag away, giggling, and scurried a few feet away. Wesley gave chase, and they lost two of their teammates for the next ten minutes.

"They must be in love." Katherine remarked. Nicole smirked.

"Ya think? C'mon. We've got a lot of baking to do."

…

"I just want to apologize about last night." Sirena whispered to Ethan as they began work on their cupcakes. "I was…I was drunk, and I got upset."

"It's forgotten. Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine." Sirena smiled brightly, and she meant it. Or at least she would be soon.

"I don't understand why we're the only team who didn't get a baker on their team." Nat exclaimed, banging a mixing bowl on the table. "I have baked nothing in my life. Ever."

"You just follow a recipe. It's not that hard." Ebony scoffed, stirring the batter. They had decided on a chocolate cake with mint frosting, a banana cake with whipped cream, and a vanilla cake with a salted caramel frosting. Ethan gave a snort of laughter at Ebony's remark, and both Sirena and Nat swiveled around to look at him, eyebrows raised.

"Is that it?" He said, smirking as he mashed up a banana, a simple enough task.

"I take it you haven't spent much time in the kitchen?" Ebony asked him, taking the measuring cup from Nat. "That isn't how you measure flour."

"Sorry!" Ethan held up his hands, chuckling. "I'm a prince, not a chef!"

"I haven't either. Left that stuff up to Nicole." Nat seemed slightly hurt. Ebony could be really competitive.

"Obviously. Now go make the whipped cream. It has to cool. Just beat cream with the mixer, you can't mess that up."

Sirena dumped cocoa powder into her bowl. "You're right, Ebony." She said, her tone rather condescending. "It's not actually that hard." She gave Ebony a pointed look.

"Hey, Nicky, how's it coming?" Nat burst out, yelling across the kitchen, as she turned on the mixer to high, sending cream flying out of the bowl and across the counter tops and their designer dresses.

"Better than you at the moment!" Nicole called back around a loud laugh. Sirena doubled over with giggles, and Ethan couldn't keep a straight face, although he tried to look upset for the cameras. Ebony groaned, wincing as Nat and Sirena's giggling grew to full out laughter as they saw the cream splattered over each other, which soon led to them laughing so hard and hardly being able to stand.

…

Michaela and Elvira's team seemed to be the only functioning well at the moment. Michaela, being a cake enthusiast, had jumped into the competition head first, pulling out her repertoire with a coconut cake with chocolate frosting topped with toasted coconut, red velvet with a silky white chocolate buttercream, and a yellow cake with raspberry filling and dark chocolate cream cheese frosting.

Gracie's team was their biggest competition, since Gracie was practically a cupcake queen. But to Michaela, it seemed that they were spending a lot of time fighting or keeping their eyes glued to Ethan and keeping tabs on Ebony. Mackenzie even went over to their station to 'chat' for a while with the prince. On the contrary, Michaela's team was running smoothly. She had instructed Andrew and Christine to work together, and they worked well together. Elvira's killer instinct was helping, although she proved rather rubbish at baking, so Michaela had her stir things and do basic prep while she handled everything else.

Katherine, as Michaela's closest friend still here, was also a threat. She, Nicole, Lissa and Wesley were getting along well. But Katherine's expertise lay in breads and pies, not cakes and frostings. Still, she was better than Ethan's team, who had only managed to get cream everywhere, burn something and laugh enough for all of them.

As Elvira scooped the last of the batter, Michaela sent her off to the ovens. This was going great.

…

This was not going great. At all. Apparently being a team of all girls didn't help much.

"Did you set the timer?" Gracie brushed by Adele, and handed her a bowl of crushed and strained raspberries. "And is that almost done?"

"Of course I set the timers. And no, you'll have to wait." Adele shot back, dumping powdered sugar in the mixer with the creamed butter, and turning it on. Unfortunately, it erupted into a cloud of sugar crystals, all over Mackenzie . Who screamed. Loudly.

"What was that for?" She exclaimed.

"Sorry, honest mistake." Adele added a little milk to what was supposed raspberry buttercream.

"It was not, you did that on purpose!"

"She didn't Mackenzie. Calm down." Michelle shook her head, and went back to stirring the lemon curd.

"And get to work. You wasted enough time chatting up Ethan already." Adele taunted, turning the mixer on low, and adding the raspberries.

"I smell something burning." Michelle pointed out. "And the timer is done. I don't think you ever started it."

"Shoot." Adele raced over to the ovens, but the snickerdoodle cake had already burned on the top. She pulled the s'mores and lemon ones out, and put them on cooling racks.

"I thought you set the timer!?" Gracie cried.

"Yeah, well I forgot." Adele went back to her frosting. "We'll have to make a new batch."

"Okay, I guess there's nothing we can do. Just leave it to me." Gracie took a deep breath, and set to work.

…

"Wes!" Lissa swatted the prince away from the frosting she was making. "We won't have any left if you keep eating it!"

"You should be flattered! It's really good!" Wesley tried to get his spoon around Lissa to get more, but she was quicker, jabbing her own stirring spoon back at him. This began a spoon-duel, involving much giggling and earning disapproving glares from the queen. Nicole and Katherine quickly reigned them in, as they had a lot left to do.

"C'mon guys! If we don't get moving, we won't have anything for the judges!" Nicole exclaimed. "And I'm not losing to my sister."

"Oh, stow the seriousity." Wesley dunked his spoon back into the chocolate frosting when he thought Lissa wasn't looking.

"Oh no, you did not!" She whirled around, but jumped back because, this time, Wesley's spoon was covered with chocolate frosting, and they were all wearing white. Still, Lissa earned some frosting on her arm. She squealed dramatically and wiped it on Wesley's white polo, who then smeared the back of his spoon on her dress. The next thing he knew, Lissa threw a handful of frosting at him, giggling madly.

"Hey! No throwing the ingredients!" Katherine cried as Wesley grabbed Lissa around the waist and drew a moustache on her with the glob of frosting on his own face. Lissa squirmed away, and Nicole jumped between them.

"Enough, you two! Back to work." She tried to be serious, but it was hard not laugh at them, with the chocolate on their faces.

…

"Are these done?" Ethan returned from the ovens, where conveniently Gracie and Mackenzie had both ambushed him, checking on their cupcakes.

Sirena and Nat took one look at the half-cooked batter in the muffin tin and dissolved into laughter.

"Okay, even I know that's not done." Nat managed. "Go put it back in."

"What have you done?" Ebony sidled along next to Ethan, standing quite close—too close.

"I told you I don't know how to do this…" Ethan laughed at his mistake, and Ebony joined in, sending ten heads flying in their direction and earned Ebony several death glares.

"That's fine. Just put them back in. The vanilla should be done anyway." They sauntered off to the ovens.

"Very chummy, those two." Sirena remarked.

"They sure don't like her." Nat affirmed.

"She's an outsider. And doesn't make her intentions known. She said she wanted to go home as soon as possible, but look at her now."

"Yes, but you guys didn't know I was just his friend until a few days ago." Nat reminded her.

"That's different. We like Nicole. We make allowances for you." Sirena teased. Nat elbowed her.

"Well, if they get any closer, I guess it's my duty to protect Ethan. And I have just the weapon up my sleeve." Nat rubbed her hands together suspiciously.

"Oh?" Sirena raised an eyebrow.

"I used it on Mackenzie once. It worked pretty well, if I do say so myself."

…

"Guys, we have seven minutes left!" Gracie cried, filling a pastry bag faster than even she thought possible. "Hurry!"

"Ugh, her voice can be so annoying sometimes." Mackenzie grumbled to Adele as they worked on filling the cupcakes. They had been pretty ambitious to put fillings in all the cupcakes. They both looked up, hearing Ebony laugh.

"But she's worse. I swear if she touches Ethan one more time I'll-"

"Throw a cupcake at her?" Michelle commented. "Didn't Nat do that to you on the plane ride when you first got here?"

Mackenzie didn't respond. Gracie swept over and piped on the raspberry buttercream and Adele filled the next bag with the meringue for the s'mores. The clock was ticking away, just two minutes left.

"Hurry! Christine's team is already done!" Michelle said, looking up. Wesley's team was still scrambling to be done, although they were going to make it. Ethan's time was slight. Ebony was trying to pipe on frosting, but Sirena and Nat were just throwing it on at that point.

Gracie garnished the raspberry lemonade cupcakes with a raspberry, and the other girls threw on sprinkles. The clock went off. They had made it.

"We did it!" Gracie cried, throwing her frosting covered hands in the air, but stopped short, seeing where Mackenzie was gaping.

"Good job. Couldn't have done it without you." They heard Ebony say, and then she hugged Ethan. _Hugged _him.

Before anyone could stop her, Mackenzie grabbed the nearest cupcake and lobbed it at them. Gracie shrieked, clutching her chest as the perfect cupcake hit Ebony square on the chest as she stepped back.

"Impressive." Ebony said, looking down at the cupcake as it fell to the floor. Then she grabbed one of the sloppy ones that were about to be presented to the judges and threw it Mackenzie. Who took it to the face. She screamed, practically growling and stormed out if the kitchens. Nat took the opportunity to throw another one of their not-so-perfect cupcakes at Ebony.

"No throwing cupcakes!" She yelled, laughing.

Sophia was already freaking out, and their finished products were quickly taken away from the danger zone. Mackenzie was corralled back and she and Ebony went to go change for the filming of the judging. In the end, Michaela's team won, since they had all their cupcakes to be served and they looked neater than Katherine's team. Ethan's team lost, because they were missing two cupcakes, whereas Gracie's team was only missing one, so they came in third.

"Ebony better watch out." Mackenzie muttered as the lights died down and the cameras powered off. "Sorry for making us loose, guys." She shrugged to her teammates.

"It's okay. It was pretty much worth it to see you and Ebony get cupcake-ed." Michelle said.

Adele nodded. "We probably wouldn't have won anyway."

Gracie sniffled, and stormed off, refusing to look at Mackenzie.

"She's mad." Adele pointed out.

"Then she's probably not going to like what I do next." Mackenzie smirked devilishly.

…

**Well, so ends that. I've decided to dispense with the largely fluff for a while and continue with the heart of the story, but some Elite events will take place later, too! I've been wanting to feature a bunch off Sherri Hill dresses so I have a bunch pinned on my Pinterest (see bio!) as their outfits for this chapter! Check them out!**

**Don't forget to vote in the refreshed poll and as always, review! **

**-Shades**


	75. Life Ain't All Tieras

**The Story: So I've gotten pretty bored of this syoc story, so I'm quitting it and writing a new one with different characters. **

**This has already happened twice with two great stories, (not to mention the ones that got abandoned) and I'm a little upset. Guys, seriously, I get that we all get bored with certain stories, but power through and finish at least one, and don't start over unless you have a new formula that you think will help or the same thing will happen twice and all that time we took to make a character is wasted. It will help you write the next story you're actually interested in. Also, as of now there are SEVENTY FIVE syoc stories for the Selection. Honestly, looking at a lot of the summaries, they are all the same. Granted, most of them never get past the first few chapters and some have taken on plot lines from the Heir, but seriously, unless you are doing something new and exciting….I don't know. I'm really not quitting, but I just felt like this needed to be said…**

**But a huge thanks as always to my readers/reviewers for always being there to help me! Last chapter reviewers: **UltimateMaxmericaShipper, PrincessSwim, LadyAnj, fairy not princess, delovlies, **and new reviewer **XOStarbrightXO**!**

**Okay, this chapter has been in the works of my head for a while. The end of it is a little not so kid-friendly so read at your own risk, younger readers! It's supposed to be humorous, though, so bear with me. I'm a girl, writing from Ethan's POV. It's harder than you think!**

…

"Well, that was fun!" Nat pronounced, as she, Nicole, and Sirena headed back to their rooms.

"You threw a cupcake at Ebony!" Nicole cried. "And told her to stop throwing them at the same time.

"Hey, she threw one at Mackenzie. I have never liked her, but she made it into the Elite fair and square. Ebony didn't, and she was hanging on Ethan just to make us mad."

"Don't we all do that?" Sirena asked.

"Yeah, but either because you love him or you want to win, not to make the others mad." Nat said, walking backwards to talk to them.

"So what about you? Why don't you even try to love him? You never talk about that."

"There's nothing to tell." Nat walked facing front again, but they could see her neck flushing.

"Yes there is and you know it! I can't believe you haven't told Sirena yet!" Nicole ran a few paces to catch up with her twin and looped her arm around hers. "She lost her heart a while ago." She told Sirena.

"There was a boy in the picture and you never told me?" Sirena cried, coming to Nat's other side. "Traitor!"

"I told you, there's nothing to tell!" Nat defended, turning red. "Nothing, uh, relevant."

"Well, the least you could do is tell me what did happen!" Sirena cried, as they stopped by her door. She opened it and shoved Nat in playfully. "What was his name?" She said and she Nicole went inside. Sirena kicked her heels in the corner, and flopped on her bed.

"Spill, girl! His name?"

"Uh, why me?" Nat face planted next to Sirena. "Ben. His name was Ben. I met him where I worked, we both exercised horses together. And then he took me to where they did horse racing, and we both rode even though we were Fours. We dated, but he ended it when he saw me signing up for the Selection."

Sirena made a rude noise. "That's boring."

"Tell her what you told me." Nicole pressed. "About the masquerade."

"Nick!" Nat shook her head. "I shouldn't have even told you."

"Why? Nothing's happened. It was one kiss! You said you'd never see him again anyway." Nicole sat down next to her sister.

"Wait, you kissed him? At the masquerade? I am so confused." Sirena flopped backwards onto her pillows.

"It _was _just one kiss…right Nat? Nothing else came of it, right?" Nicole said slowly, studying her sister. Nat was silent, and just shrugged. "Oh, Nat, what are you doing? You have to end it."

"What is going on?" Sirena seemed concerned now. "Stop with the twin communication!"

Nat sighed. "Do you remember that guy who I tried to get to dance with you at the masquerade?"

"Not really. That night was kind of one blur of too many drinks." Sirena said cheerfully. "But I remember something like that."

"Well that was Ben." She shot a glance at Nicole, telling her to keep quiet. "He, uh, came to see me. He….wanted me back." She felt bad, keeping the truth from her best friend besides Nicole of course, but she shouldn't have even told Nicole that Ben was a rebel. She was committing treason against the crown by meeting him, even more so by being romantically involved with him. She couldn't let it get out.

"He followed me to the stables, and then shot one of the rebels who wanted to kidnap me or kill me or something."

"So you kissed him." Sirena stated.

Nat nodded. "And that's it. I'll probably never see him again." She finished abruptly. She didn't want to hide the truth from her friends, but she didn't want to endanger them with her secrets. Talking to Ben, a rebel, was one count of treason, but being romantically involved with him was probably a whole lot more. And it hadn't just ended when they left Trentworth. He had been re-assigned closer to the palace, and she had received a few notes from him telling her so.

Nicole gave her a funny look, but didn't press the matter. They talked of trivial things for a while, and Sirena told them a few of her own experiences with boys and they teased Nicole about her lack thereof. After a while, they said their goodnights, and the twins headed off to their own rooms.

"That isn't it, is it?" Nicole confronted Nat as she tried to escape to her room. "You've seen Ben since then?"

"Maybe." Nat refused to make eye contact, and hurried inside, pulling Nicole behind her. "Yes." She admitted once they were inside. She spotted a note left on the windowsill, where the other ones Ben had left for her, but pretended not to see it, in hopes Nicole wouldn't either. "For about the last week we were at Trentworth. And I've gotten a few notes here. Look, I really don't think we should talk. The less people know, the better. For your own safety."

"Wait, what? I thought you said he was running from the rebels last time we talked about this."

"Yeah, well they never found out and he can't get out. He joined because he was mad at me and he wanted to race without being illegal. Now he wants out, but they won't let him, because if he doesn't believe in their cause, he should be killed or something."

"So you've been seeing a rebel? Would you just listen to yourself? Nat, this is too dangerous! Why are you doing this over just some guy?"  
"One day you'll love someone and you'll understand." Nat said, refusing to turn around. "And look, maybe we can help. He knows stuff, like what the rebels plan to do, and he can tell me and-"

"And you can go to the king and say 'oh, Your Highness, my rebel boyfriend just told me to except an attack on the palace so better tighten security'? Nat, this is crazy. You have to stop seeing him."

"Thanks for your opinion, but I think I'm old enough to make my old decisions." Nat retorted.

"You think that being Ethan's closest friend is going to keep you immune? If you guys are caught, and they don't find out he's a rebel, you'll be whipped or worse! And if they found out you are in contact with a rebel, you'll be killed!"

"I know, okay? I'm working on a solution!"

"So did you knew about the attack on Trentworth?"

"…yes."

"And you couldn't tell anyone so you just let it happen."

"I didn't know when it was going to happen, just that it would." Nat defended. "And Ben was there, he kept them from harming us, and he signaled the retreat because of me! He's loyal to the monarchy now, but he can't get out. He's not a rebel."

"Try explaining that to the king, if you ever get caught." Nicole paused, her hand on the door. "Nat, please. Stop. I can't bear to think of what would happen if you were caught." She left quietly, leaving Nat alone with her thoughts.

She went to the windowsill and retrieved the note, unfolding it. She had no idea how Ben got the notes to her, but frankly, she didn't care. Eager for word from him, she read it quickly.

It was only five words, but enough to make her reconsider Nicole's advice.

_Expect an attack soon._

_-Ben_

…

Ethan wandered down the halls, the last one to leave the kitchens after watching some of the shot footage and talking to the editors. All he wanted to do was to head to his room to finish up some work. The rebels had gone quiet for now, but there was still plenty of unrest that had to be dealt with somehow.

He didn't know how Ebony had affected that, but she had certainly affected him. And he hadn't expected her at all. He wasn't in love with her…he wasn't really full on in love with any of them yet. But she was different. And not just as his friend, like Nat. She was so refreshingly different. She didn't play games, she didn't pad things, and she was brutally honest. She didn't stand for anything, and spoke her mind. She was tough and she wasn't trying to get him to fall in love with her or get herself to fall for him. The one thing she did do was try to get close to him when the other girls were watching. It seemed like she had only hugged him to spite the rest of them.

Part of him liked her, and part of him kept going back to the other girls. She didn't seem respect him, and silently demanded it from him. Adele was sort of like that, but she did it accidently, in her spirited feisty manner, and tended to muck things up, which he found adorably charming. Like Adele, Ebony was his total opposite. Did he want that, or someone more like Katherine? She was quiet, like him. She was constantly trying to live up to something, to be the girl she expected herself to be. She was so unsure of himself, and he found he couldn't keep himself away from her. He wasn't sure about Sirena. Should he keep her his friend, like Nat, or let himself fall in love with her? Like Ebony, he felt that falling in love with her had strings attached. Adele and Katherine were uncomplicated, but Ebony and Sirena weren't.

And then there were the other girls. Lissa was only here because the people liked her. He couldn't remember the last time he had spoken to her, and she was a safe option to eliminate if he had to. Michaela was another in-between. He admired her bubbly optimism and her honestly and her charisma, but he found himself categorizing her with Nat—a friend. He knew Elvira would make a fantastic queen, but he didn't feel the same spark with her he did with others. She was a good friend, and an even better soldier. Mackenzie, he didn't like. She was jealous and unpredictable and rude and he was more than a little scared of her and what she would do to him if he was ever alone with her. His father's choice, but not his. Something in the back of his mind kept him from sending Nicole home. He knew her heart didn't lie with him, despite what Nat had told him. He didn't want to break her heart and fall for her, but he didn't want to break her heart by sending her home. She was determined, but not to win. He liked Gracie. She was funny and sweet and unlike Ebony, she respected him. No, she cherished him. He knew where he stood with her—that she would marry him and become his princess in a heartbeat and be ecstatic about it. She would never argue with him, and would treat him like gold.

Speaking of which, as he headed down the Main Hall to the stairs, he caught sight of the blonde, standing at the door of the Great Room, taking in the darkened ball room.

"Gracie?" He called softly as he approached, his voice echoing in the emptiness of the palace. She turned, tears sparkling in her blue eyes. "I'm sorry for what happened. Mackenzie shouldn't have done that."

Gracie shrugged, and shook her head. To her credit, she didn't burst into tears. "I just thought that finally, I could be good at something."

"Just because you didn't win—which wasn't your fault—doesn't mean you're not good at baking anymore." Ethan told her, floundering for the words. She was just so much younger than him. He reached for her hand and squeezed it, and she turned her face up to him, and beamed, her tiny frame instantly perking up.

"You're right. I'm being stupid, feeling sorry for myself."

"Well, I'm sorry you had to have Mackenzie on your team. She's a bit of a nightmare."

"That's okay." She was watching him, expectantly. He realized she wanted him to kiss her. But he was done with kissing for a while. Kisses threw things out of proportion, and really messed with his head. Besides, it would just give them one more thing to fight over. Sirena had kissed him the other night, and now he was questioning if she was just a friend or if she could be more.

"So I've been thinking we don't see each other enough." He burst out.

"Me too." Gracie giggled.

"Well, if you're not doing anything after those princess lessons, do you want to go riding with me? I haven't been to the stables in ages."

"I'd love to! Lessons are until lunch, but if we go right after, then we should have enough time to get back before I have to get fitted for my Report dress."

"Sounds good. I'll see you tomorrow, then?" He settled on kissing her hand. Gracie blushed.

"Of course, _Your Highness._" She said playfully, dropping a dramatic curtsy. "Goodnight."

As she skittered back up the stairs, Ethan took her place, taking in the dark ballroom. The huge room was the perfect place to get some solitude. He didn't know why he hadn't thought of that before. He slipped inside and closed the door behind him, walking across the empty room, lit only by the lights from the gardens. He sat down in the middle of the room, and sighed heavily. It was also a good place to think. And he had a lot to think about.

The country was headed for collapse. The people were full of unrest. They needed help, and rebels were trying to kill them and get rid of the monarchy. His father had decided that little baking contests and bringing in a new girl would help things, but they really weren't. Something else had to be done, but he just didn't know.

Maybe Ebony had some ideas. She came from the heart of the rebellion, anyway. There would still be time between riding with Gracie and dinner to do something with her. Maybe he could teach her archery. She had mentioned she had wanted to learn. Besides, he wasn't the heir and he was having his Selection. He deserved at least one day off. Then it would be Friday, and the day of the Report and…there was still no end in sight.

Reluctantly, he got up and slipped out of the Great Room and up to the third floor, wondering again why the royal family's rooms required climbing so many stairs. The halls were empty, except for the guards, of course. He went to his apartments, and slipped into his study first, taking off his jacket. He went to his desk, shuffling through some papers. It was late, since the filming had taken so long, but he wasn't tired yet. He was about to sit down when he heard a peculiar noise coming from his bedroom.

Setting down the papers, he went back into the hall that led off to the study, private sitting room, bathroom, and closet and opened to his bedroom. The lights were off, and there were no maids in sight, not that they would be here this late.

"Ethan, is that you?" The voice was seductive, and definitely not one of the maids. More than faintly alarmed, her switched on the lights, revealing Mackenzie.

He gulped.

She was sprawling sideways in his chair. He made a note to have it burned. Because other than a long sheer silver robe and some lingerie that he failed to see the point of, since it seemed pretty uncomfortable and didn't cover much, Mackenzie was practically naked.

"I came to talk to you, but you weren't here yet. Hope you don't mind, I made myself at home." She stood up, and he noticed she was wearing black stilettos, for whatever reason. He then forgot it, because he was too embarrassed and beyond freaking out. Most guys would be thrilled to have a girl hardly dressed show up in their bedroom, but Ethan had no clue what to do. He wanted to run, hide, scream for help, anything but stand here.

Mackenzie shimmied out of the robe, tossing over her shoulder. "I came to tell you I'm done waiting. And I have reason to believe you are too…?" She was fiddling with his tie, but at that point, Ethan was so embarrassed it took him a while to realize what she was saying.

She bit her lip, and then crashed her lips against his, the second time she had done that.

Ethan jerked backwards, surprised to find himself still alive.

"Lady Mackenzie, I do believe your conduct is entirely inappropriate." He blurted out, his face so hot it felt like it was about to melt.

Mackenzie laughed silkily. "I've never been very…appropriate, if you take my meaning." She smirked, and then reached for her bra straps.

"NO STOP." Ethan more or less shrieked in his panic. If she got any naked-er he would probably pass out from embarrassment or something ridiculous. He had never been advised on how to handle these situations.

The doors burst open, and three guards came running in.

"Your highness, are you alright?" One cried. He stopped short when he saw Mackenzie. "Madam, cover yourself, please!"

She screamed, clapping her arms over her torso, and fumbling for her robe.

"You idiot!" She screamed at Ethan. "You are so dense! What else do I have to do to get you?" She covered herself with the robe, and one of the guards had retrieved a towel from the bathroom. He held it out to her.

"Lady Mackenzie, I don't think this is working out between us." Ethan refused to look at her. He was pretty sure if he ever saw her again he would die on the spot of embarrassment. "Goodnight."

"What does that mean?" Mackenzie demanded after him as he fled from his own room, leaving the guards to deal with her. Hopefully his father would understand.

He did.

"She did WHAT?" King Jackson roared, after Ethan had burst into his office with the words "Mackenzie just showed up in my apartments naked."

"Well, she wasn't entirely naked." Ethan quickly corrected himself. "Um, I yelled at her to stop and the guards came running."

"What's going on, Jackson?" The door leading to his mother's study adjoining his father's opened, revealing Queen Francesca, in a nightgown and a robe entirely different than Mackenzie's that Ethan was entirely unsure what to call it at that point.

"Lady Mackenzie decided to seduce our son!" The king yelled. "She just shows up in his room naked! I can't believe this!"

"What's all the yelling?" Now Andrew was there, since Ethan hadn't shut the door to the hall. "Is everything alright?"

Ethan groaned, and rubbed his forehead. Even more humiliation. His mother quickly explained, and Andrew burst into laughter.

"Surely it would be okay to send her home?" He managed.

"She's lucky if she gets off so easy! She should be imprisoned for something like that!" The king roared.

"Jackson, I don't think it's worthy of imprisonment…" The queen began.

"Otherwise the prisons would be full…" Andrew muttered.

"What?" Ethan turned to him.

"Nothing." He said quickly, grinning impishly.

"I'll send for Sophia to deal with this. She can have the guards escort Lady Mackenzie back to her rooms, and she can go home in the morning."

Ethan sighed with relief. He could hear Mackenzie squawking at the guards from here. The sooner she was gone, the better. He didn't think he'd ever calmly go into his room again, much less sleep peacefully with her lurking around!

…

**Okay, so yeah, Mackenzie is gone. *CRIES* ACTUALLY A LOT MORE SAD ABOUT THIS THAN I THOUGHT ESPECIALLY KNOWING MORE ELIMINATIONS ARE COMING I CAN'T. Please vote in the poll on who to go next, because it has to happen….also any ideas and suggestions are always welcome!**

**Hopefully I won't lose too many readers over my author's note, but yeah, I just feel strongly about that. **

**Anyways, please review and vote!**

**-Shades**


	76. All Men Will Have Their Reward

**The Story: It's been a while since I've read a book series that I HAVE to keep reading or I'll go insane and decide to read when I should be updating. It's also only happened once that I cry over a book. First time it's been in public…anyway, I'm officially Maze Runner trash, despite it being a 'young adult' book, and I didn't expect to like it but I DID I REALLY DID READ IT (No spoilers please!).**

**Also forgot to say this last time but credit to **UltimateMaxmericaShipper **and **TheGirlWithTheRainbowTattoo **for inspiring me to write the scene with Mackenzie last chapter!**

**For my reviewers, hugs and never growing up and losing your ability to crush on characters. And thanks, as always! **UltimateMaxmericaShipper, LadyAnj, fairy not princess, XOStarbrightXO, delovlies, PrincessSwim, Smiley face **and **the-ravenclaw-phangirl**!**

…

Friday night. The Report.

Fortunately, there were no live interviews, because of all the footage shot from the baking disaster, as well as from the dates Ethan had been on with Gracie and Ebony, and Mackenzie's elimination. Nicole tried not to look bored as they tried to distract people from their problems with the Selection. She sat up straight as the cameras cutback from shot footage to live, and smoothed her hair.

Now that there were only ten of them up on that stage, they all knew the stakes were higher. Mackenzie had pretty much gotten herself eliminated, they found out, with gossip from the staff, and what they had been told. Nicole was still trying to figure out why she was still there.

She was done. She was so done. She was sick of being led on, and kept around just to watch Ethan with Katherine, with Gracie, or now, with Ebony. Things Ethan had said to her that had pulled her interest from ballet long enough to stick around now seemed to be lies. She didn't love Ethan, of course not. Why would she be that silly, to throw away her career for the sake of a little crush?

Nicole pretended to pay attention as she watched the airing of the bake-off on the small screens by the cameras, knowing that occasionally they cut back to them to see their reactions.

One minute, she was watching Gracie frost cupcakes with an expert hand, and then the small screens cut out, to static. Before even the cameramen could say anything about the disruption, the screens changed.

A young man, about their own age, appeared on the screen. Immediately, Nicole noticed the grime on his face and neck, and the hatred blazing in his brown eyes. He had haphazardly cut blonde hair, and an angular face with high cheek bones, wearing a filthy tan short sleeved shirt and holding a gun. There was a throng of people behind him, all shouting and waving black flags.

"Your Highness, we've experienced a hacking into our broadcast. We have belief it's the rebels." One of the directors spoke up.

"Well, stop it! Cut the broadcast!" King Jackson exclaimed, leaping to his feet.

"We did. Everyone is now only seeing what's coming from their feed."

Nicole could only watch in horror as the kid onscreen aimed his pistol at the camera, anger marring his lanky features. He seemed to be leading a chant, to which the crowd around him were echoing. The words burned themselves into Nicole's conscious, and fear froze her in her seat.

_Death to the king! Death to the monarchy! _

The kid turned around, his other fist raised in the air, and the crowd around him, mostly males, all as dirty as the kid, dressed in dark colors, some holding the black flags, many holding guns. As the chant grew in volume, so that it could be plainly heard in the studio, the kid turned back to the camera.

"Open your eyes, Illea. This ain't no rebellion-this is a revolution!" He all but screamed. The chant changed this time, the crowd screaming just one word now.

_Revolution! _

Nicole looked at Ethan. He was staring at the video feed, a horrified expression on his face, but he didn't seem as surprised as the king, who was watching his people do more than rebel, but watching his country fall apart.

"Who is that boy?" King Jackson demanded, this time of the captain of the guard, no longer of the cameramen, who were busily trying to stop the hack.

"We're trying to identify him." The captain replied in an undertone. "Your highness, I think it would be best to increase the guards around the perimeter, in case this spreads. Where is the feed coming from?" The captain asked of the cameramen. By then, several new men, dressed in a black version of the guard's uniform, had arrived. Nicole assumed they were specialists of some sort.

"We're working on that." One of the men in black replied, his voice highly calm for the situation.

"It doesn't look like Yukon." Ebony muttered, next to Nicole. "Its winter there, and none of them are wearing coats."

On the screen, Nicole realized Ebony was right. And they seemed to be in a city. The mob began streaming away, followed slowly by the cameras, headed by the same blond teenager.

"Maybe we should move the ladies and my family to the safe rooms, just as a precaution." King Jackson said to the captain. He nodded.

Before he could give the order, the door burst open, and another guard ran in. On her other side, Gracie jumped in fright. "Sir!" He saluted quickly. "There's a large mob coming from the city. And several men are attacking the gates. We do not know their number."

"Get everyone to the safe rooms—now." The captain demanded. Nicole saw Katherine's face go white, and Lissa cover her mouth. The other girls looked just as terrified. And Nicole realized why.

The rebels were in Angeles.

And they were coming this way.

Immediately, she jumped up as several guards hustled the queen and princesses out of the studio. Nicole tried to remember where the newly installed safe rooms where, since they had been shown upon arriving back from Trentworth, but she could not remember in her panic. She found herself rooted where she stood, watching the screen, as now the palace was visible, and she could see the mob heading up the hill it topped. Only now, she could see several cars packed with men in fatigues ahead of it, and more behind it on horseback.

Elvira grabbed Nicole by her elbow. "C'mon." Her voice was calm, she was trained for these things. "We have to go."

"Will we make it?" Nicole asked, dumbly following Elvira to the door. Another guard ran in past them.

"Sir, they've entered the gates and are on the grounds. The mob is approaching quickly. What are your orders?"

Nicole didn't hear the response. She shook of her terror, and stopped with Elvira to pull of her heels. Too many guards for the situation surrounded them, escorting the ten of them out of the studio and down a corridor. To access the safe rooms, they had to be on the first floor, or above. Nicole realized how ridiculous that was. They were going towards danger.

Lissa stopped, turning around to see behind them. Nicole glanced back, and realized that neither the king nor the princes had come out of the studio. The younger girl was clutching her hands together at her throat with an expression of stricken terror.

"Keep moving." A guard said gruffly. They climbed the stairs up to the Main Hall, and the noises became clear. The palace was eerily quiet, not a maid or butler anywhere. Guards were in formation, guns trained at the doors, still and silent as statues. Nicole could hear gunshots coming from outside, and a muffled roar of hundreds of voices shouting as they approached.

Their guards hustled them down to the other end, leading out towards the gardens. Nicole remembered that the safe rooms could be easily accessed from every bedroom in the second and third floor, but only at the end of the west wing or in the dining room from the first floor.

The dining room was near, when several things happened at once. Lissa stopped again, her breath coming in near-tears gasps. She turned around again, trying to see behind them. The guard next to Nicole reached out to pull her along, while simultaneously, the front doors opened with an explosion, and then gunfire. The guard cried out, and fell to the ground. Nicole and Lissa screamed, and while Nicole sprinted after the other girls and two guards—the rest joining the fight- to the dining room, but Lissa ran in the other direction, to where a phalanx of guards were bringing the three princes out of the basement.

"No!" She cried out, trying to stop Lissa, before Elvira grabbed her arm again, tugging her along. She was breathing heavily, clutching her shoulder.

"Are you okay?" Nicole asked, feeling as if time moved slowly enough to ask.

"Let's go." Elvira panted. By then, the guards had opened the secret door, revealing the stairs, and then turned and ran back out to join the fighting.

"Where's Lissa?" Sirena demanded. "She was with you!"

"She ran…I don't know, she ran the other way…" Nicole was so scared and she had never felt so helpless.

"Guys, we need to get down there." Adele said. "The queen already went."

Reluctantly, Nicole followed the other girls, to what they hoped would be safety.

…

When the guard had died right in front of her, Lissa had ran to safety. Only now did she realize that safety was Wesley, not following the rest of the girls to the safe rooms. And Wesley was right in the heart of danger. Again.

Lissa ran blindly, not registering the fact that the mob was at the gates, yelling so loudly it was hard to hear gunfire. The guards that had been with Andrew, Wesley, and Ethan were doing their best to protect them, but it was clear it would be difficult to get to safety now.

Wesley looked up, his face pale, looking younger in his fear. He saw her coming and broke away from his protectors. Lissa flung herself at him, sobbing. All she could think was that this was all happening again and she couldn't take it twice. He caught her in his arms, lifting her feet off the ground a few inches, and holding her close. She buried her face into his coat shoulder, and tried to calm down. Then the guards were pushing them back down the stairs to the basement, and Lissa felt Ethan's eyes upon her. She quickly let go of Wesley's arm, and realized the gravity of the situation.

"How could this happen again? Where's Father?" Andrew's eyes were wide with fear, his usually casualness about every situation gone.

"He's still there. In the studio." Ethan's voice sounded calm, but Lissa realized he was just shocked. "If enough people band together, they can do anything."

"We have to get you to the safe rooms." One of the guards said.

"No kidding." Wesley murmured, making a joke, even at a time like this. "What do we do?" He asked the guard, secretly grasping Lissa's hand.

"Run." The man replied. "Go."

Lissa marveled how the three boys didn't even hesitate. They just took off, Andrew first, followed by Ethan. Wesley was right behind them, his hand still grasping hers. They bolted towards the dining room. Lissa realized how stupid she had been to go _back _into danger but she didn't have time to dwell on it. The guards were managing to hold the mob out of the palace, but they were losing ground as the rebels pushed their way inside.

She tripped, but Wesley didn't let go of her hand, instead of jerking her arm. She stumbled, trying to get her footing. She knew if he stopped, they would probably both be dead. For a second, she thought she wouldn't be able to stand, and realized she would have to let go, because he was a prince and he needed to survive.

But he wouldn't leave her.

Lissa pulled herself to her feet and kept running. She wasn't dying today.

They ran into the dining room, and Andrew pulled open the door, and they kept going down the stairs leading to the safe rooms. The door banged shut ominously behind them, blocking out the deafening roar of the crowd and leaving them only with the sound of their heavy breathing.

A guard was waiting at the bottom of the dark stairway. He showed them into the room secured by a windowless concrete door, the same Lissa remembered from when they had been shown. The queen and the princesses and the rest of the Selected were there too, silent with fear. When the four of them entered, Christine jumped up, and threw her arms around Andrew. Lissa noticed she wasn't crying and realized she was a lot tougher than she seemed. The queen immediately went to Wesley, placing her hands on both sides of his face as if to reassure herself he was still alive, and then hugged him before moving on to her other sons, but not without shooting Lissa a glare. Lissa immediately went to join the rest of the Selected, who were standing oddly off to the side, leaving the family to reunite in peace.

A few minutes later, the king arrived with even more guards, including more of the ones in black, and went immediately to a back room with serval of them, where several screens showed the Main Hall, and the fighting being carried out there. No one else said anything, just sat down to wait for something to happen, and every word could be heard.

"Our spies have found out the identity of the leader of the rebels, George Levi. They believe that this attack was planned, and their intent is to kill at least you, your highness, and take the rule for themselves." Someone was saying.

"And the young man in the video feed?" The king asked.

"We believe it is his son, Mitchell Levi. He's around eighteen, and his father has already given him a lot of power in his force. Now the Report broadcast is over, but we can verify that footage shot of the mob coming towards the palace was shown to the citizens."

"How much of a threat is this mob?"

"Well, it's mostly comprised of angry citizens, mostly unarmed, but there are somewhere around one hundred rebels, most of them in the front."

"What of their leader? Is he here?" The king continued to sound to calm.

"We have cause to believe he is, if his son is."

"Kill him."

"I'll have my best men put on the assignment immediately." A new voice responded, probably the captain of the guard. He exited the room a few seconds later, closing the door behind him.

Lissa jumped at the noise, as did many of the Selected. She looked up and found Wesley's eyes on her. He didn't say anything, but his eyes said enough. He nodded once, and Lissa managed to smile a little. Gracie nudged her, and then she realized that Ethan had observed the whole exchange. Lissa quickly looked away, and stared at her feet.

Time passed slowly. Lissa remembered their missed dinner with a growling stomach, and after a few hours, nodded off.

The heavy door slammed, and Lissa woke up cold and stiff on the couch, mascara caking her eyes shut. The captain of the guard went immediately to the back room, and Lissa heard voices, curt and serious, but she was too disoriented to realize much or connect it with anything. She fell back asleep.

It must have been morning when Gracie shook her awake. "It's over." Gracie said, still managing to look pretty decent despite that it was probably morning. Lissa rubbed her eyes, leaving her hands streaked with makeup. She put her shoes back on, and smoothed her hair before getting to her feet.

Slowly, she filed out after the others, back up the stairs. She could only hope the nightmare was over.

"Are they sure it's safe?" She whispered to Nicole, feeling like she should.

"They killed the leader of the rebels." Nicole replied back. "So I guess so."

A few minutes later, they were back in the dining room. Everything seemed normal. Servants were everywhere, trying to clean up the mess in the Main Hall. Unlike the masquerade attack, it was only a small portion of the palace, and no bombs had exploded aside from the one that had opened the doors. They were still open, but there were enough guards that no one seemed worried. The king and Andrew turned down to the west wing, and the others headed to the staircase.

Lissa heard a shout, and stopped, her mind sluggish and tired. Several just as exhausted guards jogged towards them, guns aiming at the door. She looked up. A lone figure was approaching, his arms out to show he had no weapons—presumably. She could hear the guards outside yelling at him as they aimed their own guns at him.

"Stop right there!" One yelled.

"I'm only here to give a message to the king." He yelled back. Lissa finally recognized him. The blond teenager in the hacked broadcast, leader of the mob. Mitch or Mitchell or something, they had said. There was a wound on his shoulder, and blood streaked across his shirt, and his face was even dirtier than before.

"Ya listening, King Jackson?" He yelled, his voice breaking and hoarse. "You can kill my father, but you can't kill the revolution. You can beat us down, but you can't beat down an idea." His voice cracked, and his hands fisted at his sides. "We're still here! We're still fighting! And we won't stop until you're gone. And it's only going to get worse."

And then, without a word, Mitchell Levi, the son of the deceased leader of the rebels, turned and ran down the hill back towards the city. He had made it clear that killing his father hadn't stopped anything.

…

**So I warned ya'll about getting to serious stuff again, but I think this is my favorite chapter so far, for some reason, but next chapter will not be….**

**Thanks for all your continuing support! I know several of the creators of the Elite are still reading because they review, but if you've been reading without reviewing and your character is still here, could you please just let me know? I have something I want to do, but it's sort of interactive, so I want to know who is still reading!**

**Anyway, blame/credit Pinterest for all this dark stuff. And for all the gowns and happy stuff too. And for the late update. **

**-Shades**


	77. All Your Life

**The Story: Because normal people sing when you're going up roller coasters on the little chain thing right? And yell things off the top? And pose really ridiculously for the pictures? Follow cute guys around the rest of the day and fake British accents? No? Just me? Great. I'm an idiot. **

** Well, the bad thing I mentioned last chapter isn't until next chapter because I ended up with some filler, but this chapter is still not happy :( **

**Thanks for sticking with your idiotic writer who writes unhappy things when all we want is fluff, guys: fellow idiotic amusement park go-er **delovlies, UltimateMaxmericaShipper (**WHO WRITES ME POEMS!), **Smiley face, fairy not princess, XOStarbrightXO, PrincessSwim, 4Love4Love4 (**x2**), TheGirlWithTheRainbowTattoo, LadyAnj, pinterestobsessed, guest (**I know I know you but you didn't sign in!) and new reviewers** lizcran **and **FangirlingEverything**!**

…

Adele turned over for the umpteenth time and tried to relax. It was exhausting to care about someone, she decided. Once they had been escorted from the safe rooms very early that morning, they had been told to stay in their rooms, and their meals had been brought. They were told nothing about the attack or the aftermath.

The only thing that had happened was that she had been fitted for a new dress—a black one, and her maids had told her there would be a ceremony in three days. The day had passed slowly, and still no word from anyone. When she had asked her maids as discreetly as possible if any of the servants had been killed, they had shrugged and shook their heads, their expressions stricken. Adele didn't know whether to take that as a good or bad sign. It was night now, and she was still worried about Colin. And after doing nothing all day and taking a nap after getting out of the safe rooms, she was way too wired to sleep.

Finally, her door creaked open and it wasn't just her maids.

"Colin!" She cried in a whisper, sitting up and throwing herself into his arms. "I was so worried." She mumbled into his shoulder. "They won't tell us anything. I thought you might have been killed or-"

He kissed her briefly, shutting her up. "We have safe rooms of our own, but I was already done for the day in the gardens and in the dorms. The mob didn't make it very far and after the leader got shot, it was over pretty quick."

"We were down there all night."

"Yeah, well, they had to make sure everything was clear." Colin wrapped his arms around her and held her close.

"You're not part of them, are you?" Adele asked after a moment.

Colin snorted, and rolled his eyes. "No way. If they want change they aren't doing a very good job of executing. They claim to have a revolution, but all they want is to be in power."

"But their leader…I thought he was killed?"

"I don't think one man's death is going to stop anything. I'm sure there are others. His son, for instance. That guy's crazy." Colin shook his head. "No, their revolution to end corruption is just going result in more corruption."  
"So what are you aiming for?"

"We just want change. We don't want to kill the monarchs, but maybe they're not the best way to rule such a big country. We need more representation. We just want more rights for the poor, and for them to stop focusing so much on themselves. Beauty pageants aren't going to help. We need real aid, real help, and watching the royals' parade around on the Report isn't helping."

Adele watched the way Colin's eyes lit up as he spoke, his voice filled with passion, and a warm feeling blossomed in her stomach.

"But the rebels are going around change all wrong. We just want to be listened to, and to be helped. We don't want to kill anyone. We're holding a rally tomorrow, so I won't be able to see you. I should probably go anyway, in case someone comes to check on you."

"So you're not for the monarchy but not for the rebels either." Adele concluded, taking his hand. She didn't want him to leave just yet.

"We're not anarchists. We're patriots." Colin tilted his head down to look at her, his intentions to leave seemingly forgotten. "And it's all because of you."

"What did I do?" Adele laughed. "I'm just part of said beauty pageant." She smirked.

"You told me you believed in me. So I believed in myself." He kissed her again. "I better get going. I just wanted to make sure you were okay." He stood up, reluctant.

"Colin?"

"Yeah?"

"Good luck tomorrow." She had wanted to tell him she loved him. That she wanted to be patriot too. But she couldn't.

"Thanks. Bye." After another moment of standing there, Colin headed to the door and slipped quietly out.

Adele sighed and lay back down. She did love him. Like, _love_ love. But she was too scared to admit it to his face. Being in love meant doing something about it. And she wasn't sure if she was ready to become a Seven or settle down. She could have a perfectly good chance with Ethan if she wanted to. Or if he sent her home, there would be dozens of offers. But she wasn't ready to make a commitment and to give up any of her control. But then again, there was that part of her, telling her that life didn't have to be one big act. Glimpses of life where she was real, and life was real and even if it was real, it was _happy. _But how hard would it be to get there?

…

It was the second day after the attack. When only one of her maids came to help her get dressed, Lissa realized that it was another day to sit in her room and think. Apparently, it would be too dangerous for them to leave or maybe it was just easier that way. She put on a simple purple day dress and let her maid Scarlet help her put on a little makeup and pull her hair back. Then, as she was leaving, Scarlet handed her a piece of paper.

"Just summon me if you need me again, miss." She bobbed a curtsy and took her leave. Eagerly, Lissa opened the note. It could be a dismissal from Ethan or summons to the queen, but Scarlet had helped her send a letter to Wesley at Trentworth, and the way she had given it to Lissa hinted at secrecy.

_Lis, I need to talk to you, but my father doesn't want you to leave your rooms at all for safety reasons, and he doesn't want us to leave the third floor. I got one of the maids up here to get one of yours to send you this. I wish I could see you. They're not telling you anything to keep you safe, because this is a lot worse than their making it out to be. I overheard my dad talking to Ethan and telling him he needs to send one or two home for safety reasons. I'm going to try to make sure he keeps you, but I realized that may not happen. You're only here because either my dad suggested you or your high in the polls (I don't read magazines, but if you're in them, I guess I should ask for some…) _

Lissa smiled at the winking smiley face he drew, and continued reading.

_And there's another thing. My mom came to room last night and said they're thinking about sending me away to the Illean Military Academy. We've talked about this a few times. Usually, that's where the princes that aren't first born go, but my dad never sent me or Ethan there. They think people will like to see us "working" and it will good for me and keep me safe until my Selection. _

_But I don't want a Selection. I want you. I really want to talk to you but I can't. So I wrote a letter. It's not the same, but I miss you and it's only been a day. I think love is bad for concentration. My tutor is going to throw a fit if I don't get this done. I wish we were at Trentworth again. Or maybe that we were just normal kids. I feel so dumb now. Wow, just noticed my hand writing sucks. I just wanted you to know I'm thinking about you. I wish I was lucky enough to be Ethan and have you in my Selection. You've made me who I am today, and I don't want to see you leave. Well I guess that's all. _

_Love, Wes. _

By the time she finished reading, Lissa was crying. It was so random, so heartfelt, so _Wesley. _She wanted to see him. Being locked in her room felt like a death sentence, and she couldn't take it anymore. What if he was right and Ethan really sent her home and she didn't get to say goodbye? What if she got to stay and he left before she did?

Wasn't the Selection supposed to be happily ever after?

…

The third day after the attack dawned a gorgeous day. The coming of autumn had brought slightly cooler temperatures and plenty of rain, and last nights had left the air clear, the skies blue, and then vanished, making way for the glorious sunshine.

It was also a very sad day. Ethan raised his gaze from the ground to take in the scene around it. He didn't know how his father handled this. Being responsible for these men dying, and knowing that this had already happened three times and it wasn't getting any easier.

A ceremony was being held for the seventeen guards who had been killed on the south lawn of the gardens. Cameras were everywhere, broadcasting the ceremony to all of the people of Illea. And his father wasn't sparing any extravagance. As he harped on about the bravery of the men who had sacrificed their lives for them, and how such rebellion would not be tolerated, but that the leader of such insurrection had been killed.

If he wasn't on camera behind his father with the rest of his family and the Selected—all outfitted in black—he would have shaken his head. The attack had occurred three days ago. Since then, the front doors and lawn had been repaired, the Main Hall cleaned up, and a battalion from the army brought in to increase the watch. But the internal scars still remained.

Mitch Levi had made it clear that just because his father had been assassinated, he wasn't backing down—if anything, it had only fueled the fire. Until three days ago, Ethan hadn't even known who the leader was or even if there was one. He didn't know if his father did either, but he had been given hardly any information, except what the rest of the public knew. Since the mob's attempted takeover, three more guards patrolling Angeles had been shot down just for their uniforms. Those who worked for the government in the service offices had been attacked in many different provinces, and in Angeles, the homes of the legislators and councilors had been targeted, with windows shot down and death threats. It was clear the rebellion wasn't just in Yukon anymore.

Mitch Levi's face was plastered over every news network, and one camera had recorded his speech when they had come out of the safe rooms, not to mention the one at the mob. While it angered some and pushed them against the rebellion, some of the people started to think they may be right. With rising food costs, lack of jobs and low wages besides, people were full of unrest.

His father had chosen not address any of that. He was only making things worse, announcing that the draft would be employed in Sumner, Waverly, Bankston, Carolina, and Midston to be able to increase guards around the palace. Many of those gathered booed at the announcement, but the king continued to speak, unhindered. As he finished his speech, the cameras shut down, and guards arrived to escort them back inside.

As they walked, Ethan stole a glance at the girls. He had a big decision to make. His father had told him it had to be done by today. Send at least two of them home, because it was too dangerous to keep them here if they didn't need to. He wanted to talk to Nat about it, but had been unable to. She'd probably tell him what he already knew and didn't want to do, though.

Normal palace functions would resume tomorrow, but today, the girls were still confined to their rooms. Ethan almost went to Sophia to ask her to break the news, but in the end, he decided to deliver it himself. He spoke to her about having her staff contact the girl's families to tell them they were coming home and to arrange transportation and such.

This was only going to get harder and harder. Each time someone went home, that meant he was a few steps closer to sending one home he cared about more deeply. This was going to be harder than he thought. With every elimination before, he had either done it impersonally or in a group. Never had he gone to their room, and told them they were going home. But waiting was up. It was time to do this. But he didn't want to. The second floor was much emptier with only ten girls here. He came upon the room all too soon, and knocked.

She opened the door, not one of the maids. Ethan swallowed back a lump in his throat. This was going to be difficult. She had always stuck out to him, and now he was sending her home. Their early chemistry had become a friendship for him. He admired her very much, but he didn't think she'd want to leave everything behind to marry him. He didn't know if she loved him or not, but he had been thinking of her as a friend for quite some time now.

She greeted him with her always friendly smile, and he felt his heart sink. She had changed out of her funeral dress and was wearing one of those flowy knee length gowns she was so fond of, this one in soft turquoise. Her curly blonde hair was pulled back in a casual ponytail, her sun-kissed skin sporting freckles that had always been there. He would definitely miss her.

Clearing his throat, he stepped inside. "Lady Michaela…" He trailed off. Michaela's smile slipped at his use of the word "lady". She nibbled at her lip nervously. Instinctively, he reached for her hand. "Michaela," He corrected. "You've become such a good friend to me since Trentworth…and, um, I don't know how to say this. But with all the attacks, and this rebellion not going away, it's just not safe to keep anyone here…that I feel I don't have a future with."

Michaela's green eyes filled with tears, and she looked down, stricken. "You're sending me home?" She managed.

"I'm so sorry. It's not that I don't like you…but I don't know. I guess I think of you as only a friend."

She chocked on a sob, trying her best to keep them at bay. "But you and Nat are only friends!" She blustered out. "You right. I've known that you didn't love me for a while now. I guess I was just trying to deny it to myself. I thought you might change your mind." She wiped her eyes valiantly, but the tears still came. "I guess I could never be as good as Katherine or as fun as Adele. I'm just me, hoping that you would love that."

He wanted to ask if she loved him, but he didn't think it would be right. "I'm sorry. I really am." He decided to give her hug, which she coolly reciprocated.

"Um, you don't have to leave until tomorrow morning. I spoke to Sophia already. She and your maids will help you. You can take your clothes and whatever else you want." Ethan wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. He had just shattered their friendship.

"Thank you, your highness." He voice was positively frosty for the cake loving beach girl he had always known. His kissed her hand, and then left quickly. He took a moment to cool his heels in the hall and try to get his emotions together. It was hard to see Michaela go. She was beautiful and fun and he liked her a lot. Just not enough to love her. And now she hated him.

But he was only halfway done. The next should go a little easier. He hoped.

He walked down the hall, and knocked on the door.

…

**HALF OF THIS IS WHAT I ACTUALLY FEEL IT'S GETTING SO HARD TO SAY GOODBYE MICHAELA HAS ALWAYS BEEN ONE OF MY FAVORITES! **Demigod-Gallagher-Selected **thanks for such a great character, I'm sorry I have to send her home!**

**And also for the cliffhanger, I am really not emotionally ready to write the next chapter…**

**-shades**


	78. I Will See You Again

**The Story: Really wanting to write this chapter but really NOT wanting to write this chapter…it's embarrassingly short, but I'm going away for a week and not bringing my laptop and I think it kinda needs a chapter to itself. **

**Shoutout to my reveiwers! **delovlies, majestictales (**x2), **fairy not princess, PrincessSwim, Lizcran, 4Love4Love4, Smiley face, LadyAnj, Fangirlingeverything, UltimateMaxmericaShipper, **and **XOStarbrightXO**! May loose a few of you after this, but thanks for sticking with me anyway! Also, the elimination was the "bad thing" that I was talking about, sorry for the confusion!**

…

"Where is she?!"

The door to Ethan's office burst open. He looked up with surprise, not that he was concentrating on the paperwork he was supposed to be working on anyway. Wesley stood at the doorway, his face twisted with rage, the usual spark of mischief in his eyes replaced with fear and anger. "Where is she?" He repeated, no longer yelling, but sounding closer to tears.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Ethan said, before clearing his throat and looking back at the papers. He knew very well who Wesley was talking about, but something had to be done about the situation with the rebels, and neither the king nor Andrew was going to do it.

"Yes, you do." Wesley's voice was shaking now, and his jaw was set in a hard line. "I didn't even get to say goodbye."

"Look, I'm sorry." Ethan stood up now, annoyed. "I wish I could go around making everyone happy. But I can't. So if you could tell me why you have an issue and who you're looking for, I maybe can help." Having never been particularly close with any of his brothers, Ethan wasn't making his eliminations based on their feelings.

"Lissa." Wesley's eyes darkened. "You sent her home. I can't find her anywhere. You didn't even let me say goodbye! I love her!"

"Yeah, well I don't and she is in my Selection. And she probably hasn't left yet anyway. I can't keep someone here that I'm not going to marry and risk her being killed in another attack! Besides, you two have been carrying quite long enough, and didn't try to make a big secret of it during the attack. I only kept her in the Elite because she's popular with the people. And Mom said I needed to send her home before you two were exposed. She would have been canned—or worse, okay? It's for her own good. Yours too."

Wesley gritted his teeth, and balled up his fists. For a moment, Ethan thought he might hit him. Instead, he bit his lip hard and turned and ran out of Ethan's office, slamming the door loudly.

His little brother wasn't so little anymore. Ethan suddenly realized that since this Selection had begun, Wesley's cruel teasing and teaming up with Andrew had ended. He had still been stupid and silly, but he had suddenly gotten a whole lot nicer. And all because of Lissa.

…

Lissa followed her maids to the main doors, feeling like it was walk to her execution. Gone was the mob, the broken glass and blown open doors. It was quiet, except for two guards standing solemnly outside on either side of the door, she could see through the glass. Except for her maids, she was the only one there. Michaela had left last night, even though she was pretty sure Ethan had told her she could leave in the morning too.

The girls had wanted to say goodbye at the doors, but Sophia had whisked them off to another lesson. Now that there were only eight of them, they had to have even more lessons, these about politics and things they would need to know as queen. Lissa would actually miss learning. She loved knowing things, and she was sad to leave them, and the rest of the girls. Those left had always been kind to her, despite where she had come from.

She took one more glance at the stairs. No one was coming to say goodbye. Not even the one person she wanted to see. Biting her lip, she realized it was time to say goodbye to her maids. She gave Scarlet a hopeful glance, but the maid gave a slight shake of her head. Lissa took a deep breath, and hugged them goodbye.

"Thanks for everything." She said, her voice still managing to be strong. They had been so helpful to her these last few months. "I'm going to miss you."

"Lissa! Lissa!" A hoarse yelling sounded from the stairs, and then he appeared. Wesley. He ran down the stairs, half tripping over them.

Lissa dropped the suitcase she had carried and ran to meet him. In the back of her mind, her maids excused themselves, taking her bags out to the waiting car. She flung herself into Wesley's arms, and couldn't be so strong anymore. She sobbed into his shoulder, feeling his arms tighten around her, and he buried his nose in her hair, taking shuddering breaths.

"I thought I was going to leave without getting to say goodbye." She murmured when her tears were spent. Wesley held her at arm's length, his own eyes red.

"This isn't goodbye, Lissa. I _will _see you again. That's a promise." He touched the necklace he had given to her on their birthday. "Keep this to remember me."

"I don't need anything to remember you by." Lissa hesitated. She hoped she would be able to continue instead of crying. "You…you were the best thing that ever happened to me." She choked out. "I'm so sorry." She covered her face with her hands, and started to cry again. Wesley hugged her again, and kissed her forehead.

"There's nothing to apologize for. We always knew this would eventually come." Wesley whispered, his eyes misting over. "You taught me," He paused, swallowing hard. "You taught me to be a better man because of you. You taught me what it means to love someone." He gently pulled her hands away from her face, and rested his forehead against hers. "I'll never regret the time I spent with you."

"You made me feel beautiful. I have never, ever felt that way until I saw you looking at me. You made me realize that it didn't matter where I came from, that who I am is more important than what I am." Lissa whispered, trying to memorize the details of his face. "You taught me the courage to stand up to someone, and to be happy."

"To love, and to be loved in return….it's life's greatest treasure. I'll never forget you." Wesley gently cupped her face in his hands and lowered his lips to hers. He kissed her slowly, wrapping his arms tightly around her. Lissa tried to make time stop, but it was no use. All too soon, he pulled back.

"What if someone sees us?" She asked, realizing what they had just done. He had been too shy to really kiss her much in the past besides more than a quick peck, and if they had been caught…

"It doesn't matter. You're not a Selected anymore. We can do whatever we want."

"You're still a prince." Lissa reminded him.

"But you're a Three. You never have to go back to dancing. You can go to college, become whatever you want." Wesley gave her a reassuring smile, but his resolve threatened to crack. He kissed her again, tracing her collarbone with his thumb. "I love you."

"I love you too." Lissa squeaked out.

"I promise this isn't goodbye." Wesley let go of her hand, and Lissa realized she needed to go. "I will see you again."

Slowly, he began backing up, his eyes full of tears. Lissa gave him a brave smile, and then turned around. She paused, but didn't look back. She walked down the stairs and climbed into the waiting car.

…

**So as I said, embarrassingly short…I'M SO SORRY I HATE MYSELF FOR DOING THIS BUT REALISTICALLY, ITS WHAT ETHAN WOULD DO BUT THIS IS NOT THE END OF WESSA I PROMISE LIKE WES! **

**May loose some reviewers, but after a long struggle, Michaela had the most votes and I didn't have a reason for Ethan to keep Lissa, so this happened and it hurts : ( : ( **

**So…next chapter. A while back the fantastic **TheGirlWithTheRainbowTattoo **suggested on my Pinterest account that I do something involving wedding dresses, and voting on them via Pinterest or something like that? Would you guys be interested in doing that? Let me know your ideas in a review for how to incorporate a 'challenge' with wedding dresses, and if you want, you can go ahead and pin some stuff for the eight girls left! (See profile for list and link!) and let me know if you want me to add you!**

**-Shades**


	79. Running Up That Hill

**The Story: Even though I'm not going back to school this fall, I still feel depressed. to my readers still stuck in high school…sorry. Especially to **UltimateMaxmericaShipper **and **4Love4Love4**! **

**Sorry for the delay on this chapter, I was on vacay and then had some writers block but once I started I couldn't stop so it's pretty long. I tried to get some things straight with different characters (POVS from Kath, Gracie, Nicole, and Nat) but it ended up not really working…but shout out to my reviewers for still sticking with me even though I'm a terrible person for last chapter **UltimateMaxmericaShipper, 4Love4Love4, LadyAnj, Lizcran, majestictales, anegrieg, XOStarbrightXO, PrincessSwim, fairy not princess, delovlies **and awesome new reviewer and Pinterest collaborator and fellow Middle Earth/Poldark/Newsies fan (at least I think, you followed my boards?) **Deeptha13**!**

…

Of course, the only logical thing to do after a mob of angry protestors and rebels almost invaded the palace and killing the newly discovered leader only to have his son promise to continue his fight, and sending two girls home because their lives were in danger, was to go on a date. Not to mention all the things they were doing for the Report. Katherine sighed, and got up from her desk, almost wishing she could take a nap instead of going on this dumb group date. If it would have been just her and Ethan, she would have been happy, but now didn't seem the time to get the cameras out and record the eight girls left and the prince out horseback riding through the gardens.

Sophia had just told them that on Friday's Report, they would be presenting projects focused on an area of philanthropy, and that if they became princess, they would have to work on. Since they probably wouldn't hold the position of queen, it wasn't as big as this part of the Selection as it had been in the past, but all the same, it had to be done. And so far, Katherine didn't have a clue on what to do it on. Not only that, but a bunch of big name designers were sending in hundreds of their wedding gowns for the remaining Elite to try on and model, and take photos with Ethan, which would also air on the Report as well as in a big section in several magazines, which were already holding contests for people to vote on dresses that the girls would pose in. Katherine just hoped they would pick something she liked.

She hadn't been in the best of moods lately and all the stuff they had to do wasn't helping any of them. Ebony ranted and raved about distracting the public with her so-called "stupid Selection rituals" when there were "much more important things" to focus on. Gracie got all worried and distant since Lissa's leaving. Adele's mean streak came out, and she seemed to avoid Ethan and was constantly frustrated. Nicole was all but silent and unhappiness radiated off her like heat. Elvira was perpetually frowning, and often talking to the advisors and reading newspapers. Sirena kept asking her questions about what was going on, and when she tried to make them have fun, was turned down. Nat had become totally different. She started at every noise, and seemed exhausted. She tripped over her words, and was always distracted.

Katherine missed Michaela dearly, and although the wedding dress thing sounded like fun, the timing was terrible and it only increased the pressure of the Selection, especially with the philanthropy projects. As her maids helped her get ready to go riding, Katherine closed her eyes, trying to relax and think of an idea for the project. She couldn't remember the last time she didn't have a headache. She was tired, but her headaches plagued her at night so she couldn't fall asleep. There had also been heightened security, and there had been a false alarm last night, forcing everyone to run down to the safe rooms and wait for an hour before being told nothing had happened.

She frowned crankily. She didn't even like riding. She had never even been. She had grown up in a big city in Calgary, spending her days in the bakery or hiding in her room practicing music, not on a farm. Her maids swept her hair into a braided chignon, and helped her into the foreign riding outfit, a fitted cream riding jacket that flared over a long dark brown skirt with pickups to keep her legs covered, complete with a smart hat with a birdcage veil, leather riding gloves, and boots. They sent her off to join the other girls in the stables.

The changing seasons left the day overcast and windy, with the threat of rain. Shivering, Katherine joined them. She felt ridiculous in the riding habit, but the other girls were wearing similar ensembles, so she supposed this is what you wore if you were royal. Gracie was talking excitedly to Nicole about her many ideas for the project, Elvira was talking to the guards that were to accompany them, Nat was so excited about riding and Sirena was making fun of her antics. Adele was leaning against the fence of the front paddock, next to one of the gardeners who was trimming a rose bush right by the stables to make sure everything looked perfect for the camera crews. Ethan approached, speaking quietly to Ebony, who owned her black and gold riding jacket and skirt. Katherine glanced away. For all that he had said to her at the reception for the representatives from Zealand, he seemed to have fallen under Ebony's charms. The camera crews appeared just after Ebony shot the rest of the girls a triumphant smirk.

The grooms led out a mount for the nine of them. Katherine's horse was fairly large, with big brown eyes and a soft chestnut coat. She had no idea what to do, but luckily the groom helped her get settled. Unsteadily, she hooked her foot into the stirrup and followed his instructions. Gripping the reins in a death grip, she looked around to see how the others had faired. Nat had already mounted and left, racing her horse down the path. Gracie seemed perfectly at ease in the saddle, her pinkish tan skirt draped over the white of her horse's coat. Nicole and Elvira managed to mount, and thankfully, Sirena and Adele both had been just as unskilled as her. To all their irritations, Ebony got Ethan to help her mount before he swung on his own horse. Immediately, Katherine noticed the way his body modeled itself to the saddle and how he became one with the horse. It was those little things she kept noticing that made her fall further and further in love. And she couldn't stop, even though he was falling in love for a lot of other someone's.

…

There was no better place than a horse. Gracie sighed happily, and looked sideways at Ethan. As always, her stomach fluttered with happy butterflies, her heart soared and she felt giddy. This was what love felt like.

She smoothed the mane of her little white mare. Ethan was riding Tiger, much to her chagrin, but being with him was still better.

While these riding ensembles they were wearing weren't as practical as jeans or riding pants, they certainty looked elegant and royal-good for the camera. Hers had a skirt of a dark muddy pink color, with plenty of fabric to protect the inside of her legs from the saddle and cover them up on the outside. It was paired with a dark plum jacket over a starched white shirt, and a jaunty miniature cream top hat pinned tightly into her hair and festooned with tulle around the brim.

"Time for a rematch?" She called to Ethan, adjusting her hat with one hand and guiding her mount over to his with the other.

He raised his eyebrows with a grin. "You're on!"

Without waiting for the others, they kicked their mounts into a gallop, racing down the path, neck to neck. When no clear winner emerged, they slowed down, laughing.

"I haven't gotten to ride in forever." Ethan lamented, patting Tiger's neck.

"I think you work too much." Gracie told him as they rode back to join the others. Ethan waved to Nat, who had ridden to the other end of the garden, to bring her back.

Ethan shrugged. "There's a lot to think about."

"You're telling me! I can't believe they're only giving us a week to do the philanthropy projects. I have so many ideas, it's going to be impossible to pick one. And the wedding dress voting! I can't wait! Lissa would have loved it, but-" Realizing what she had said she said, she shut up and shot him a glance to catch his reaction. He seemed unfazed. "Sorry. I just miss her."

"Well, I'm sorry I had to send her home. I can't keep girls here I don't feel I have a future with, with all this danger."

"So you feel like you have a future with the rest of us?" She bit her lip, feeling her cheeks heat up.

"I don't know." Ethan said after a moment. "I haven't had much time to think about that lately. My dad thinks that all this pomp and circumstance with the Selection will distract the people enough, which is why he wants all these things to take place, but I don't think it will do anything but make people more angry."

"Oh…I didn't think of that." Gracie felt stupid, and wanted to divert the conversation, but they had rejoined the others.

"Ethan, why do we have to wear these costumes? I feel ridiculous!" Sirena yelled to him. She didn't look ridiculous, with half of her hair pinned into a bun and the rest hanging on one side in scarlet ringlets, under a wide brimmed black hat, matching her white shirt and black vest and black skirt.

"That's just the price of being royal." Ethan yelled back, joining her, Adele, and Nat who had just arrived back too without so much as saying goodbye. Gracie pulled her horse alongside Nicole's, feeling as if the world had suddenly changed. Where the overcast sky had seemed cozy, it now just seemed gloomy. The grass and flowers of the gardens didn't seem quite so brilliant and everything just seemed average without him.

She hated being jealous of her friends, and she hated being letting herself love Ethan when there was a good chance he would pick one of the girls over her. She had always known she was in love with him, ever since she had met him and probably before, but he might not feel the same way.

…

Nicole watched Ethan escort Adele back into the palace, and couldn't explain why she was so angry. He was going on a date with her. He had gone riding with Gracie and had dinner with Ebony last week before the attack, and now he had just promised to have dinner with Adele, who was acting perfectly happy but seemed a little forced. _But I'm not jealous. Okay, maybe a little jealous. _It was hard to be still in the Selection but get completely ignored.

Frowning, she declined her sister's request to hang out with her and Sirena before dinner, and walked into the gardens. The workers had finished up for the day while they were riding and it was deserted. Nicole didn't want to meet up with Ethan before his date so it seemed the perfect place to wait out an encounter. She took of the stupid black cloche hat with the birdcage veil and her tight fitting gray jacket and set them on the bench next to her. She felt so restricted in the rigid blouse and long cream skirt, not to mention the tight riding boots. Nat had definitely gotten the equestrian genes, although she felt the same way about the outfits.

_Why am I even still here? _She was considered a Two now. She could leave and try and pursue her dreams. Sure, her ballet was far from where she had thought it had been. She lacked technique and mastery of detail without proper training. She had all but given up on her lessons with Christine because it all just seemed so hopeless. She had money now, she could get training and she had made a name for herself. They should hire her. It wasn't like there was anything holding her here.

But there was. She didn't want that anymore. She didn't want to be a princess anymore. She wanted to fall in love. She had only ever loved ballet, but it seemed nigh impossible. She was eighteen, there simply wasn't time for her to catch up on a lifetime of training. Most ballerinas _finished _their training at eighteen, and that's when they started performing. Nicole had been practicing all her life, she had the flexibility and the strength, but she had millions of little flaws in her technique. It would never work out between them. She had watched Ethan fall in love with Katherine over the course of the Selection, she had watched Lissa and Wesley madly in love during the bake-off, and she had watched her sister fall in love with Ben back at home.

And she wanted that. She had always wanted that, ever since the moment she had realized everyone was in love with someone but her the day the Selection was announced.

And the most logical choice was Ethan. But he had plenty of other girls to worry about and she wasn't ready to let herself love him either. So she was ready to go home. The realization shook her to the core, and tears snaked down her face as the clouds opened up and drizzle covered the gardens with a fine mist that soon escalated to pouring rain. Within minutes, she was soaked, which only reminded her of their first date, getting soaked on the roof. He had told her then that there was something about her that he couldn't shake free to send her home, but that had been that. Other girls had captured his attention. Adele, Gracie, Sirena, Katherine, Ebony…the list was endless

Even though Nat said she was just his friend, he could easily slip and fall for her. She was loyal to a fault, she was fun and boisterous. Adele was spunky and spirited and she wasn't afraid to speak her mind. Elvira was brave, and quiet without being shy. She was caring and strong, and was like the older sister to all of them. Sirena was crazy, in a good way. She was spur of the moment, catch me if you can, let's do this, and drop dead gorgeous. Ebony had a full bag of tricks up her sleeve, and she had Ethan caught in her web and she was beautiful and cool. Katherine was elegant and poised and didn't think much of herself, which would make her a great princess. Gracie was sweetest girl ever and it was cute when she was shy, and she was adorable.

Nicole was just…Nicole.

She sat in the pouring rain, her blouse plastering itself to her skin, her hair slipping from its pins and falling over her face. She didn't want to go home. There was nothing for her there, and nothing for her here.

"Nicole? What are you doing out here?"

She looked up with a start, wiping her nose. Ethan was there, under an umbrella, still in his riding clothes, on the path to the stables.

"What are you doing out here? Shouldn't you be with Adele?"

Ethan gave a rather hurt smile. "Dinner isn't for another hour. I came to see to my horse, since I have some time. Maybe we should get you inside first."

Of course he came to see to his horse. Nicole wasn't a horsewoman by any means. She could only ride because Nat insisted she learn. He wouldn't be happy with her.

"I'm fine." She said through clenched teeth.

"Are you sure?" He asked, his voice skeptic.

"Nope. I'm not sure. I'm not fine either." She stood up from the bench, her skirt heavy and wet now. "Send me home, already, will you? I'm sick of being ignored."

"I'm not ignoring you, I just have a lot to think about!" He retorted, becoming defensive.

"Well you certainly have enough time to get advice from my sister! And to talk to Gracie and Adele! And flirt with Ebony and Sirena!"

"Well maybe that's because I know where I stand with them. I never know what's real with you!"

"A lot of times I don't either, okay? I just want to go home! I don't want to be here anymore." She forgot that she was yelling at the prince of Illea in the rain, just like their first date.

"Too bad. I'm keeping you here, and you can't do a thing about it. Now go inside before you get sick." He was angrier than she had ever seen, folding his umbrella up with deft movements. "Here." He thrust it into her hands.

"I don't need it. I'm FINE!" She spat, snatching up her hat and coat. She tried to stalk off, but he barred her way the umbrella.

"Take it. As a prince of Illea, I insist."

"You mean you command." She corrected, narrowing her eyes. She grabbed the umbrella and left it folded up and stormed through the rain back to the palace.

It was a good thing he wasn't going to be at dinner tonight.

…

Right away, Nat knew something was wrong when she entered the dining room. Not wrong _wrong, _just not right. She hugged her arms protectively and took her seat next to Sirena.

Ben.

He stood in front of her, against the wall, just where a guard stood every night. He was dressed as a guard, his eyes imploring something he was trying to communicate. She quickly smoothed a gasp of surprise and gave a forced laugh to one of Sirena's jokes, while stealing another glance at Ben. His uniform seemed off, now that she looked twice. Like the rest of the guards that stood in the perimeter of the room, his red, but it seemed older, more faded, and more wrinkled. Nat tried to ask '_what are you doing here?_' with a glance, but she was unable to interpret his response.

She was a wreck through dinner. Sirena and Nicole noticed something was up immediately, and gave her odd looks. She lied and told them she felt sick to her stomach, which was partly true, she was so nervous. Ethan and Adele were both absent, on their own date. She was relieved when dinner was finally over, and that no one questioned her hasty retreat to her room. She sent her maids away, since Ben was sure to come see her, telling them she felt sick and would go to sleep immediately. They wanted to stay and make sure she was okay and help her get ready for bed, but she assured them she would be fine.

She realized her mistake, since she was still wearing her evening gown, a long sleeved cobalt blue gown with a structured bodice. She had gotten out of the gowns before, she could do it again.

It was after midnight when he came, climbing onto her balcony, and tapping softly onto the glass. Nat bolted upright from where she had dozed off on her bed, still in the gown. She quickly went to open the door. He didn't say anything, just kissed her soundlessly, his hands on her hips.

"What are you doing here?" Nat murdered between kisses. "I've been so worried you were killed."

He took his time responding. "I have to get information. I'm spying out for a few days as a guard. And I wasn't involved in the mob. I was in Carolina getting supplies."

She stepped back, ending their make-out session. "Wait, what? I thought they killed the leader of the rebels. Why do you have to spy?"

"You can kill a man, but you can't kill a revolution. Mitch is furious. Killing his father only made things worse. At least he just wanted to end the monarchy. Mitch is stopping at nothing. He wants power for himself. He wants to rule. He's a madman, and even worse than his father. That's why I had to see you. He's planning this huge attack."  
"Another one?" Nat sucked in a breath. "When?"

"I don't know. I've only been spying. And when I do find out, I'll be at headquarters, involved. I won't be able to get word to you. You have to tell the king. Mitch is insane. His father always extended protection to the Selected girls because you weren't born royal. He always said not to kill the queen or the princesses, either. Mitch wants to kill anyone standing in his way. He wants to be king. You have to warn them."

Nat shivered, her argument with Nicole coming back to her. "Ben, I can't. What do I tell them, my rebel boyfriend told me so? I'll get kicked out!"

"Is that the worst of your problems?" His eyes darkened dangerously. "Do you love Ethan or something?"

"No…no, I don't. I might even be whipped, or killed! I'm committing treason, okay?"

"Nat, tell someone. They will kill me on the spot if they knew. But Ethan likes you, you're his friend. They won't kill you. You have to."

"I can't!" Nat squeaked out.

Ben stepped back on the balcony. "I can't do it for you. I don't know when I'll be able to see you again. I have night guard tomorrow, and then I'm guarding the walls. Hopefully the next time we meet won't be during the attack."

…

**Okay, so super long chapter, but trying to make up for last one and stuff just kept coming to me once I (finally) got started. Hopefully this rebel stuff isn't boring or too confusing, because there's going to be a lot of it…not for a few chapters though!  
Anyway, so we have two upcoming events—the wedding dress thing and the philanthropy projects—feel free to pin gowns to my board for the girls and thanks to those of you who have been doing so! Also, CREATORS! I need your help for the philanthropy projects, if you could give me some ideas in the reviews that would be soooo helpful!**

**Anyway, thanks guys!**

**-Shades**


	80. I've Decided to Marry You

**The Story: Sometimes I forget how much I actually don't like people. Socializing is hard. I prefer to be anonymous on the internet, with all you wonderful people!  
LIKE THE FANTABULOUS AMAZING MARVELOUS **MAJESTICTALES **WHO MADE THIS REALLY REALLY COOL THING THAT I BASED THIS WHOLE CAHPTER ON! Link is on my profile, and hers! Please check it out its soooo cool! LUV YA!**

**These folks are pretty cool too for reviewing: **UltimateMaxmericaShipper, 4Love4Love4, LadyAnj (**x2), **XOStarbrightXO, PrincessSwim, delovlies, majestictales **again and someone who finally came back **the5SOS-YAfangirl**!**

**Gowns are on my (main) Pinterest board, but check out the one with only wedding dresses for tons of gorgeous dresses! **

…

There were dresses everywhere.

For the last two days, she and the rest of the Selected had been modeling wedding gowns from all the big name designers in Illea, not to mention custom couture creations their maids had sewn specifically for them. They had been voted on and betted on and now she had to choose just one of the gorgeous, fluffy tulle creations studded with lace, rosettes, glitter, flowers, gauze, and bling. They were all choosing a dress to model and take pictures with Ethan. It was supposed to divert the public's attention from the rebels, but Gracie had her doubts. Still, it would definitely be fun! She spied an adorable tea length gown with pink petticoats, but decided not to choose it. It was adorable, but not really for her wedding…err, the photoshoot.

She examined several dresses hanging on the racks, weighing her decisions. She sorted through several gowns that she would have worn in a heartbeat a month ago. But there was one she kept coming back to. It seemed far too grown up then, a bit more like a gown Katherine would have chosen. But now…she felt drawn to it. It was a soft A-line fit of chenille, with a dipping back and delicate long lace sleeves. She fingered the delicate ruched skirt. This was definitely it.

Her maids helped her put it on, and Gracie couldn't stop her excitement as she bounced on the balls of her feet. They curled her hair in tiny ringlets, and did her makeup softly and entwined two white roses on either side of her head connected by a wreath of tiny white flowers. They pinned her elbow length veil into her hair and she stepped into delicate silver heels. She was ready.

Butterflies danced in her stomach as she picked up a bouquet of pink and white roses and followed her maids out into the gardens, where the photographers were waiting. She waved to the video cameras recording her as she walked, and stepped out into the gardens. Ethan was waiting for her, talking to one of the photographers, his hands stuffed in his pockets like they always were when he was nervous. He smiled when he saw her approach, and she was sure the cameras were eating it up. She giggled, and walked up to him.

"I almost didn't recognize you." He said softly, holding out his hand.

She took it. "I almost don't recognize myself." She admitted, thinking she was smiling so hard her cheeks might shatter.

He brought her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. Gracie heard the snap of cameras, and stepped closer. She could definitely get used to being with him, even if it came with the spotlight. He put his arm around her and she put her hand on his shoulder, the butterflies fluttering in her stomach. The cameras flashed again as they posed for a few minutes. She kissed his cheek, tingles shooting through her heart. She felt so delicate standing next to him, her had coming just to his shoulder.

With the way she felt when he looked at her, it was hard to remember that there were seven other girls he had to take pictures with after her.

Because he was perfect.

He was her Prince Charming.

…

This fairy tale could really be coming true.

Katherine swallowed hard, as Rosalie zipped up the gown she had chosen. She had forgone lots of lace and chiffon that she usually wore, because it reminded her of a lot of gowns she had already worn in the Selection already.

But now, standing in front of the mirror, in the most gorgeous gown ever, she felt like royalty. It was a full skirt, of silver white crepe fabric. The skirt was huge, with silvery embroidery billowing out in every direction, with so much fabric that it fell in folds to the ground. The short sleeves were still lace, matching the embroidery on the skirt, which extended over the bodice. A long, chapel length veil set on her swept up hair, crowned with a sparkling tiara and few tendrils framing her face in miniature curls.

It was fit for a princess.

She could scarcely remember to breathe as she lifted her immense skirts and followed her maids down the hall and the stairs to the gardens, where she would take pictures with Ethan. She had read what people said about her in the magazines. She definitely didn't outshine other girls in looks like Sirena, Adele, and Ebony, but apparently, people thought that she would make the best princess.

And that scared her. Her whole life had been tailored to take over her family's bakery, when all she wanted to do was play music, and never wanted to be royalty. She had never looked for or expected to be labeled as so either.

But as she stepped outside into the sunlit gardens, and saw Ethan waiting for her, she realized that it didn't matter what came with the man. She would marry him if he asked, regardless of if that turned her life upside down. She loved him.

An unexpected rush of tears came to her eyes, and a lump grew in her throat. She swallowed them back to no avail, and quickly swiped at her eyes before her makeup ran everywhere. Ethan was quickly at her side, his hand on the small of her back.

"Kate? You okay?" He murmured. Katherine smiled, they were happy tears after all, as she realized how close her daydreams could be to reality.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm grand." She touched her hair to make sure everything was still in place.

"You look fantastic." He said, a stupid grin on his face as he took her hand.

"Well stop ogling me like that!" She giggled back. He kissed her hand with dramatic flair and the cameras flashed. She hoped they hadn't caught her tearing up as she imagined what her real wedding day could be like!

The photographers directed them to a stone bench that fronted a fountain surrounded by flowers. One of Katherine's maids hurried up and handed her a bouquet of fragrant red roses. Ethan wrapped his arm around her waist and drew her close, until their foreheads touched.

"I'm sorry I've been neglecting seeing you." He whispered. He squeezed her hand. "I've missed you."

"It's okay. I'm sure you've been busy." She whispered back, leaning against his chest, as the cameras flashed around them. "But I've missed you too."

"Have you been doing okay?"

"Yeah, fine." She decided not to tell him about the headaches that had been plaguing her. She was sure once the stress of the philanthropy projects was over they would go away.

"Then will you have dinner with me tonight?"

"What, aren't there seven other girls all clamoring for your attention?" She said teasingly. Ethan smirked. "I think they've all realized you have to share me."

"As if." Katherine said, grinning.

The photographers directed them to move over in front of some ancient oak trees, and they posed again. Ethan kissed her forehead as she put her hands on either side of his face.

She was better than fine.

She was flying.

…

Nicole kept her eyes lowered and pulled the veil over her face. Taking pictures with Ethan wasn't going to be the highlight of today. She was still blindingly angry at his treatment of her, and pretending like they were getting married in pictures was only pouring salt on the wound.

The dress she had chosen was simple and elegant. It was an empire waist fit, with a sheer chiffon wrap draped over her shoulders, to match the folds of chiffon that flared out from the bodice. It was ethereal, with her hair swept to one side in a loose side ponytail, with careful curls.

She felt more and more disdain as she followed her maids and one of the photographers into the garden.

"If you hurry, we should be able to get your pictures outside before it rains." The peppy woman told her. Nicole looked up to see dark clouds threating the sun washed gardens.

_Of course. Oh, the irony. _

Nicole rolled her eyes.

Ethan offered her a hesitant smile, which Nicole didn't return. She followed the photographers instructions, knowing the pictures would probably end up terribly with a huge lack of chemistry, but she needed to get away from here, and if people saw how they were together, maybe Ethan would go ahead and eliminate her—hopefully.

She tensed up as Ethan put his arm around her waist, and edged away from him.

"You know I'm going to have to touch you for these pictures, right?" He said quietly, so only he could hear. "Because that's what they expect and what I've done with all the other girls." He sounded peeved.

Nicole twisted around to look at him, and found his face way too close. She jerked away, and didn't respond.

"Lady Nicole, if you could loosen up, we could get much better shots. You seem pretty stiff." The photographer said, looking up at the sky. "We're losing the light."

"Told you." Ethan murmured. "You're way too posed."

"I should hope I am. I'm a dancer." Nicole snapped, swatting away his hand on her arm.

"Can you just please _pretend _to like me?"

Nicole whirled away from him, and crossed her arms. She did like him that was the problem.

_No you don't. You just like the idea of him. You don't like him at all. _She scolded herself in vain. Being in such a romantic setting, and in such close proximity, it was hard to deny it.

After a few more futile attempts, it started to rain. The photographers suddenly remembered them getting caught in the rain on their first date, and freaked out. Someone found an umbrella, and had them pose under it. Ethan held it above them, so she didn't get wet, as she put on a smile, and let him touch her.

"Can you kiss her or something?" The annoying photographer yelled. "We need a few more shots of you two."

Nicole stepped back in alarm—right into the rain. Ethan swallowed, his hands going into the default position, his pockets.

"Y-yeah. Sure. Why not?" He offered a shaky smile. "That okay with you?" His Adam's apple jumped nervously. The whole situation was too awkward for Nicole to force her unhappiness on him. She stepped back under the umbrella, and put her hands on his shoulders. He put his hands on her waist.

"Just pretend we're not even here." The photographer said, hunched under his tarp.

"I, uh, I've never kissed anyone before." Nicole whispered, breaking into a cold sweat.

"Well, I'm no expert."

"Not even with Mackenzie?"

He grimaced. "No way. So I'll just-" He leaned down, and Nicole squeezed her eyes shut, and tipped her head.

He kissed her, hard, fast, and nothing like she'd seen in the movies. The umbrella came down in front of them, and she instinctively leaned in to him. This wasn't so bad. In fact, it was…nice. Remembering herself, she jerked away.

She would not trip and fall in love.

She would not get her heart broken.

…

Because of the rain, the rest of the picture sessions with Ethan were being moved inside. Adele didn't mind, she needed some extra time to get ready. It still felt weird, getting ready for this mock wedding. Sure, she still cared for Ethan, but she was pretty sure she didn't want to marry him. Of course, that didn't mean she wanted to marry Colin, either. Maybe she didn't want to get married at all.

Still, looking at her reflection in the mirrored panels in the Great Room as they set up the photoshoot, in her white gown and veil, it was hard not to imagine it. Her dress was exquisite. It had a dropped waist, fitting through the hips and then flaring out ever so subtly. Concoctions of gold lace beading upon tulle dripped over the satin base, ending at the bodice and covering her shoulders with glitzy straps. She wore white elbow length gloves, a long string of pearls and tee strap white high heels. Combined with finger waves and red lipstick and the most perfect little birdcage veil, it was tailored exactly to her tastes.

Ethan walked in, after changing into a fresh suit since his other one had gotten wet in his last photoshoot. Adele flashed him her best I'm-so-excited-for-this-smile, and waved to him.

"Hey." He said casually. "Sorry about the rain."

"Well ya can't control everything." Adele shrugged. "It doesn't bother me."

"That's great. You look great, too."

"We do try, Your Highness." She purred, propping one hand on her hip.

"So I've noticed." He held out his hand, and she took it, marveling at how he'd grown from the awkward young man she had done everything to get him to dance with her, to the much more confident man he had become—even if he carried a lot on his shoulders.

"Let's dance!" She cried, switching smoothly to waltz-position. He grinned, and copied her movements over-dramatically. She laughed, hearing the whir of cameras as they slow-danced through the empty room. She couldn't help but hold him a few inches further away than normal. It just didn't feel right with him anymore.

And yet, she still found herself pretending to love him, pretending they could be married, pretending that Colin didn't exist. She hoped he wouldn't catch on. Aside from a dinner date a few nights back and now, she had been trying to avoid him. She saw Colin whenever he wasn't too busy, and he spoke of his work as a patriot, somewhere between the monarchy and revolution.

She loved Colin, but she didn't know if she loved him enough to give up the life she could have here or even if she got eliminated. Yeah, maybe it was selfish, but she had never been a selfless person.

Ethan spun her out, and she twirled, the bottom part of her dress flaring out. She wanted to tell him his people were suffering, and he was living it up with eight girlfriends. But then she remembered she was one of those girlfriends, doing nothing but enjoying life. And she didn't want to change.

He spun her back in, holding her close. Adele kept one hand on his forearm, as if she was holding him back without applying any pressure.

Because he wasn't who she loved. Colin was.

She just wasn't sure if she wanted to marry him.

…

Ethan watched Adele leave the Great Room as they finished their photoshoot. She seemed…different. Almost forced. At least, compared to their early chemistry. He didn't have time to dwell on it though, because Elvira was next and they had a tight schedule. She came into the room, looking fantastic in her edgy ensemble. She had traded her usual black and dark colored gowns for white, and she pulled it off great. Even with her pale skin, the white of her dress magnified her dark hair and blue eyes.

She shook her head and laughed as she approached.

"I think if I ever get married, I'll be saying déjà vu." She snickered.

Her dress was definitely one of a kind, and perfect for her. It was more a cream color than some of the other girl's dresses, and a suede-y fabric, almost leathery. It went straight down to her feet, adorned by only a gold belt. The sleeves were the most interesting part. They seemed almost like chain mail, in gold rings. The underside of her arm was clothed in fabric, but the interlocking rings were on the top, extending over her collarbone. She wore no jewelry, since there was enough metal on her dress.

"Cool dress." He said.

"Thanks. I love it." She said, grinning. She had never been one to fawn over dresses. "So, pictures?"

"Yep. Just smile."

As they posed, he found things were so…easy with her. A lot like Nat, only she still remained a mystery. She wasn't as uncomplicated or as friendly as Nat, but she had definitely come a long way during this competition. She questioned him about what the so-called revolution was doing as they smiled for the cameras. She was also incredibly intelligent. He was sure if he ever needed to plan a war, she was the first one he would call. He just didn't know if he wanted to marry a soldier. And he was pretty sure a soldier didn't want to marry a prince.

Ebony was next. She gave him a seductive smile right off the back, and he felt his face heat up at her dress pick. Unlike Mackenzie, she was never sexy just to show of skin. She was sexy, but in a glamourous, classy way. Even though she was a Seven and Mackenzie was a Two, the latter had never shown enough restraint in her clothes to be classy.

Still, Ebony's dress was mostly backless, covered only by some sheer fabric. It was the same in the front. The neckline plummeted quite, ah, lot. The sleeves were short, made entirely of lace. Like Adele's, it fitted close to her body before flaring out at her knees, but not as dramatically as some of the other dresses he had seen. Like Elvira, she had forgone a veil and much jewelry.

She kissed his cheek as she approached.

"I still don't think this is a good waste of the money you guys have." She said loudly. "But oh well. I guess it's your dad, not you."

Ethan shrugged. "I wish things could be different. But yeah. He thinks this will help."

"It won't." She said blankly, her hand sliding up his sleeve to his chest. He swallowed. She was really pretty, and he was just a guy.

"If you two could face the cameras that would be great!" The photographer said, behind them. The two turned, greeted with a flash of light. Ethan watched the flash light up Ebony's features. It was hard to think of her as the new girl anymore. Yeah, he didn't have the memories of first dates amid twenty others and times at Trentworth with her that he did the others, but she had easily accepted her place here. She gave him a sultry grin as they posed.

"So there's eight of us here. Surly you can't be in love with all of us." She raised an eyebrow, her hand on his neck, his around her waist.

He wasn't. He wasn't in love with Nat, she was just his friend. Elvira would make a great queen, but he didn't love her either. Nicole, he just didn't know. And then there was Adele and Gracie and Kate and Sirena. And Ebony, of course.

"I don't know. It's a lot to think about, what with this business with the revolution and all."

"Tell me about. I used to live in the heart of it."

"I know."

Ebony was gorgeous, and she was spirited, but sometimes, she was a little too…something. But his stomach still tightened in her presence and he felt a rush of heat.

Love was a hard thing to figure out.

And he didn't have much experience.

…

Sirena stepped into the well-lit Great Room, feeling for once like a million bucks. For now, she could put her low that had led to a full-scale meltdown a few weeks ago behind her, and look ahead. She wanted him to love her, she wanted to be loved, but right now, she could deal with it.

Her dress helped—a lot. It was stunning. It was made of a heavy, brocade-like fabric, and colored the palest gold. It was a ball gown, instead of her usual dramatic mermaid fitted ones. But this one seemed less of a glamour gown and more of a bridal gown. Still, it had some of its own drama, with a darker, golden embroidery covered the gown in swirling patterns, and the front hem several inches shorter than the long train in the back that revealed her fabulous gold heels.

She loved it.

Her red locks were left pretty natural, curled as usual and left loose, paired with a circlet of tiny golden leaves that secured her long, gold dusted veil that trailed behind her. Instead of her flashy lipstick colors, she had gone with a subtle dark burgundy, and rose-gold eyeshadow.

"Your dress is gold." Ethan pointed out. "I should have expected that." He offered her his arm, and she linked hers through.

"I was never one for tradition. Or white wedding gowns." She shrugged. "This is so much more me, you know?"

She angled her body better to catch the light, and the nostalgic snap of cameras filled her ears. When this was all over, if she wasn't a princess, would she want to go back to modeling? What about volleyball? With all that she had seen at the palace and all the friends she had made, she didn't think that would ever be good enough for her. No, she would travel the world. Maybe Ethan would make her an ambassador to France or something spectacular. She could always try acting and become a movie star. She would probably be good at that.

But there was always that princess option…Did she want a loveless marriage? Would he being in love with her and she being in love with the idea of being in love be enough?

"So, had enough of being a model?" She teased, blowing kisses at the camera.

"It's a lot harder than I thought." He admitted, draping his arm over her shoulder lazily. "I guess that's just the price of being royal."

"So have you made up your mind on who you're going to pick?"

Ethan gave a bark of laughter. "Are you kidding? There's so much to think about it."

"I think you're overthinking it. You just need some help. And not just Nat's advice. Love her as I do, she has no idea what she's talking about."

"What kind of help?"

"Well, kissing is a good way to start."

Ethan stepped back and visibly paled.

Sirena giggled. "Don't worry, I'm not going to lay one on you like I did that other night." She smirked. "I'm just saying, you should kiss all of us, and that should tell you something. You can start with me, if you like."

"Uh…are you sure? I think kissing messes with my head."

"It's a good messing! It means its telling you something!" Sirena shoved his arm playfully.

"I just don't think it's a very good idea." He didn't meet her eyes as he said that, only turning back to the cameras. Sirena let her shoulders slump. It wasn't fair.

She wanted to be kissed.

She needed to be kissed.

…

She needed to tell him.

But there was no way she could. The consequences would be too much to bear. And if he ever found out about Ben—not to mention the fact he was a rebel, and that she was romantically involved with him-there would be hell to pay. Even if Nat was just Ethan's friend, she knew that wouldn't exempt her from punishment. She needed more time, and a way to figure out how to make sure they knew without knowing she told them.

Ben had put a lot of faith in her, and here she was, dressed in a wedding dress, ready to take pictures with Ethan. She had been modeling them all week for magazines, but this one she had chosen. It was pretty simple compared to the black and white ones or the ones with corsets she had worn over the week, but it felt right. It was a plain, cream colored lace A-line, strapless, with a sweetheart neckline, and a dipped back. She wore a silver headband of sorts in her hair, suspending a shoulder length veil over her hair.

It was nice.

Ethan suppressed a laugh when he saw her. Nat had to bite her lip to keep from laughing too.

"I guess we should pretend to be in love." He whispered, nodding to the photographers.

"Ew, no offense, but you're just my friend. And people must think you're so shallow, keeping me and my sister here!" She joked.

"All for appearances, Lady Natalia." He jested right back.

"That also means no kissing me. That's gross." She hissed, taking his arm for appearances sake. Still, he leaned close, until their noses were about to touch. Nat burst out laughing.

"This is too weird!" She whisper-yelled.

"I did that just to freak you out." He admitted smugly. "It worked."

She wanted to tell him that she couldn't love him because she was in love with someone else, and that she was cheating on him, at least how the public would see it, because they had already established between themselves that they were not dating. But she couldn't. They managed to make it through the shoot, with lots of laughter, silly faces, and friendly hugs instead of more romantic poses.

"So sooner or later, you're going to have to send me home." Nat blurted out towards the end.

"I know. But for now, everyone can stay. My dad doesn't want me to eliminate anyone just yet. He thinks that stuff like this and the philanthropy projects and the Convicting will distract the people enough to not think about the rebels and their revolution."

"Will it?" Nat swallowed. She should tell him. Right now.

"I don't think so. And until he tells me to, or they try to attack again, I'm not sending anyone home."

This was her chance. _Tell him! Tell him what Ben told you! That killing the leader only made them madder, that Mitch's ideas are way different than his fathers. That he wants to rule, and he will kill the Selected if he gets a chance. And that that might happen soon. Tell him to protect your friends, your sister, your country!_

But she couldn't.

She had to protect herself.

…

**Whew, okay really long chapter, and a ton of exploring the characters at this point in the story! It might not seem very complex but this took me forever to get them all straight! **

**I could still use a ton of help on the philanthropy projects, so ideas are appreciated, because that's the next chapter, and I have barely started thinking about it!**

**Thanks for all your support, guys!**

**-Shades**


	81. At Least It Used To Be

**The Story: When **delovlies **FINALLY realizes that you've been right and she should read that book and texts you all day fangirling over it. #NewtTrash**

**Thanks to my lovely reviewers especially those who took the time out for such long reviews, they made my day! **Fairy not princess, Lady Anj, XOStarbrightXO, 4Love4Love4, UltimateMaxemricaShipper, PrincessSwim, majestictales, Deeptha13, delovlies **and **guest**!**

**Part one of the philanthropy projects!**

…

It was Round Two of Selection mayhem.

Despite the public being bombarded with all the write-ups and specials on their adventures in wedding dress shopping, Friday night on the Report was going to be entirely devoted to one thing—their philanthropy projects.

Adele was not thrilled. She had racked her brain trying to think of something, and so far had come up with nothing. She wanted to help, of course she did, but she just didn't know how. She should talk to Colin, but she felt stupid. He was off at these meetings every night, trying to save the country as he put it, between the rebel's violence and the monarchy stuck in their ways. And she couldn't even think of a stupid project. She had gone through several ideas inspired by meeting him—helping polio victims, support for army widows, food distribution for the poor—but while they all seemed to help small problems, they wouldn't fix it entirely.

So here she was, swallowing her pride and asking Colin for help. It was Thursday night, and tomorrow evening she would have to have something, and so far she had nothing. She wouldn't be getting much sleep tonight. She and Colin usually met on Thursday's at night anyway, so fortunately for her, talking wouldn't be too hard. She stepped out on her balcony, shivering in the cool air, and watched the gardens below her for signs of life. After a few minutes, he appeared, in only jeans and a sweatshirt and a cap, he looked much different without his livery. But nice. Normal.

He gave her a wave, and then darted a glance around him before starting to climb.

"Hey." He said, greeting her with a smile a few moments later as he appeared just under her balcony. "Didn't Romeo and Juliet do this?"

"Something like it." Adele grinned, and offered him her hand to help pull him up the rest of the way. Once he had his feet set securely on the balcony, he leaned down and gave her a kiss.

"How are you?" He put his hands on her hips, and kissed her again, much more intense. Clearly, helping her pull an all-nighter and think of ideas wasn't on his mind. With a wistful sigh, Adele pulled back.

"I need your help." She stated.

"Can it wait?"

"Not really. We have these stupid…projects we have to do tomorrow on the Report."  
"Yeah, I've been looking forward to seeing what you come up with."

"That's the thing. I can't come up with anything good."

"Adele, you do know its tomorrow."

"I know. I'm screwed. I just didn't want you to think I was dumb because I couldn't come up with anything." Her gaze dropped to her feet. "Sorry."

"Sorry?" Colin sputtered. "For what? Oh man, this is great! I wish you would have come to me sooner-they'll listen to you! They won't listen to us. They just assume we want to destroy the country. But you're an Elite. You can make them understand! I have so many ideas-"

Adele giggled, endeared at the light in his eyes and the passion in his tone. "I just need one. One big one. I tried a bunch of little ones, but they don't seem right."  
"Well, the thing that needs the most change is they need to listen to us. The legislators are men chosen by the governors of the province, who are picked by the king. The people have no say. It's just supposed to look like democracy and it's not. We need representation! They used to elect all their legislators, back before Illea, in the United States. They even elected their president, Adele. Can you imagine it? We had a voice in the government, and they listened!" He reached for her hand, and squeezed it. "That's what we're trying to do. This country used to be great, and it still can be. But not if the rebels keep this up and the monarchs don't change. Something different."

"You sure know a lot about all this stuff." Adele admitted. She had never really even thought about this, and here was Colin, the words pouring off his tongue as he spoke, his eyes blazing with passion. Something clicked inside of her. She couldn't put a finger on it, but something had changed. "I'll never catch up with all of it. Look, Colin, I don't know if I can do this. I don't want to make the king mad. This is the way it's been done forever-"

"Not forever. Besides, the worst they can do to you? They didn't tell you anything you couldn't do, did they?"

Adele didn't answer. She had never been one for fighting for a cause she believed in, or even caring about the politics of the country. But Colin did.

"Did they?" He repeated stronger this time.

"No…but they might, I don't know, kick me out."

Colin was quiet. "Would that really be so bad?" His voice was shy for once, and hesitant. "I'm not telling you to do this. Do what you want. But you came for me to help, remember?" He took her hand. "And I believe in you. Because I know you believe in me." He leaned closer, resting his forehead on hers. "Who would have thought that a girl like you would ever look twice at a guy like me? You infuriated me to no end, but until you told me that you believed in me that night in town…I thought I knew what love was. Now I know. And maybe…maybe you don't feel the same. But love will do what it does. And the world kept pushing me back and throwing me loops and then there was you. And even if they send you back to Fennley tomorrow, and I never see you again, this-" He pointed rapidly between them. "Will still be. And I'll never stop loving you."

Somewhere in between his speech, Adele had started to tear up. She couldn't hold back the tears as he finished, with Colin holding her face in his hands like she was the most precious thing on earth, wiping away the tears. She had never had a crush on Colin. He had sort of just snuck up on her. It hit her.

She was loved him. She loved the way he made her mad, the way his eyes lit up when he talked, how passionate he was about change, how he treasured her, his stupid pick-up lines, the way he cared for his family, everything.

And it didn't matter that he was a Seven and she was a Two. She didn't care. She just didn't care. At that moment, Adele knew Colin was the one she wanted to marry someday. This time, she kissed him, wrapping her arms around his neck. After a moment, they pulled apart.

"I'm in love." She said, beaming.

"With who?" He smirked.

She kissed him again. "Does that answer your question?"

"Clears it up pretty, uh, clearly."

"And thanks. For believing in me. So how does that work? How do they get elected?"

Colin grinned at her. "Allow me to explain!"  
..

Sophia came out into the hall. "Okay ladies, I cannot stress the importance of this. I know you're not all naturally public speakers, but remember this is live. Lady Adele, you're going first, and then Lady Katherine. Lady Gracie, you'll be third, then we'll cut to the first commercial block, sound good?"

Adele took a deep breath to quell her racing heartbeat. She was exhausted, after staying up most of the night to formulate her project, and it certainly wasn't helping her stress. She usually wouldn't be nervous about this kind of thing, but on top of her all-nighter, this might not be received well at all. And she was going first.

Per Colin's suggestion, she had worn a dress her maids had made a while back. It was white, with elbow length sleeves and a pleated skirt. It had a high neckline with dipping back, with blue satin covered buttons at the end of the sleeves and a blue sash and a coat of red lipstick.

"Okay girls, why don't you head on in?" Sophia held out her arm, gesturing inside the studio. The Report had already begun, and Taren had introduced the show, but they thought this would be a more dramatic entry.

"First up, we have Lady Adele!" Taren boomed. Adele stepped up to the center of the stage, holding her notecards tightly. She was ready. Taren stepped back, giving her the full stage.

"'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.-That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.'" She took a deep breath.

"It may have been a while since any of you have heard that. Some of you may have never heard it all. But hundreds of years ago, part of our country today was made up of a great country—the United States of America. And for hundreds of years, that country—our country—was the greatest country in the world. What I just quoted was from the Declaration of Independence, a document stating our independence. I'd like to point out a key phrase, 'governments…derive their powers from the consent of the governed.'"

Adele paused for a breath. She looked over at the king. He looked pretty unhappy. She really had no idea what she was talking about, but Colin did and she trusted him. He had helped her plan all of this speech out, and now that he had explained it to her, it made sense. She took another glance at her notecard. "My fellow citizens, Illea has been unfairly ruled by a monarchy for too long. We have no say in who rules over us, accept maybe by popular opinion in something like the Selection. If I one day hold the privilege as princess, I propose that we re-introduce the election of those in legislative positions."

…

Katherine bit her lip self-consciously. She didn't like putting herself out there and talking about personal things. And now, as Adele laid out her plan, her project seemed pretty lame. Clinics for people who had lost a loved one…it was pathetic compared to what Adele was saying.

She fiddled with her silk lavender gown, dreading being there in front of the crowd. Her hands were shaking and her head throbbed so badly she could hardly concentrate. Adele finished, and they all clapped nicely. The king was frowning, but he hadn't thrown her out yet.

"And next up, we have Lady Katherine!"

She heard Taren announce her, and realized she was getting to her feet and going to where Adele had stood.

"Hello," She began tentatively. She had rehearsed this all so much it should be easier. "Uh, my inspiration for the philanthropy projects came from my own experience. When I was fifteen, my older sister died in a plane crash." Katherine swallowed, and looked at Ethan. HE gave her a quick nod. "For the longest time, I just stuffed it back and never dealt with it. I was constantly living with it over my head, and every time I thought about losing my best friend and sister, or I had to talk to it, I would get upset and cry. I never talked to anyone about it because that usually resulted in me crying and being embarrassed. It wasn't until I came here that I had to open up about it."

Instead of crying, like she thought she would, Katherine found herself smiling. She stood a little taller. "I ended up talking to Prince Ethan about it, over and over again. He had really been the only one, because I kept wanting to bottle it up inside me. Not only did it help talking about it, but I also got some great advice. I didn't have to forget my sister or pretend it never happened. I didn't have to get over it. I just had to live with it. For my project, I propose setting up a clinic of sorts, where those who have lost loved ones can go and share their experiences and receive advice. If I were to become princess, I would fund these out of my own personal salary, and on private donations."

She heard someone laugh and looked over to see Ebony rolling her eyes. She took a deep breath, trying to remain strong. That's what this proposal for anyway. She outlined briefly what the rest of it would consist of, her prepared speech making her forget most of what she was saying.

"Um, it may not be as um grand as others, but yeah. That's my project. Thank you."

She went to her seat, her cheeks filling with heat at the smattering of the applause. She took a glance at Ethan as she sat down. He was smiling proudly at her, his whole face lit up.

_Thank you. _She mouthed. He smiled and shrugged playfully. _My pleasure!_

…

Gracie couldn't help but feel the pressure as Katherine finished and exchanged a moment with Ethan. It wasn't that she wanted to 'beat' Katherine, but the older girl was so humble she didn't even know it. She thought her project was lame, but she had made the perfect image of a queen up there, nervousness and all. And Gracie wanted her project to be just as good.

Taren announced her and she moved from her seat into the spotlight, her hand going to the back of her head, where a pin secured her hair in a low French twist.

"Good evening." She began. "As many of you know, I've had pretty long hair ever since I came here. And thanks to all the health and wellness concerns of the palace, my hair has gotten almost to my waist. I love my hair, I love styling it in different ways, and playing with it. So what does this have to do with my project?

"Due to cancer treatments, many girls can't have their hair anymore. I propose that when we decide to cut off our hair and go for something shorter, we donate it to be made into wigs for girls who can't have hair from medical treatment."

Gracie reached up for the hairpin again, and slipped it out, and then ran her fingers through her hair. Gone was her long, waist length blonde curls, now trimmed off at least a foot, now ending just a few inches above her collarbone.

Her surprise tactic had really worked. She knew her maids would be proud, after all the prep that went into waiting to reveal her haircut. In debuting her new hair, Gracie had wanted the rest of her to look a little older, so instead of a fluffy pink dress, she had gone for a smooth sky blue strapless satin gown.

"A long time ago, there used to be a program like this, but it fell out of funding. I propose that we start it back up." She explained how it wouldn't cost very much, and how you could order a kit for your local hairdresser to cut it for you and then send it to one main place to be made into a wig.

"I think every girl deserves to feel beautiful and have beautiful hair. And if you decide like me, that you want a change that hair shouldn't go to waste when it could make someone else feel like a princess. For my program, anyone can donate, as long as their hair is long enough. Wigs would be specially created for each child. Hopefully, costs could be offset by private donations. If I were to become princess, I would want to expand this project, not only to provide hair for kids, but also to improve funding for children's hospitals. They may be going through the same things as adults, but we still want them to be kids, and to have fun and to get to play in a safe environment while they recover or undergo treatment."

She finished outlining her plan, and all too soon realized she was done. "I haven't had any personal experience with this, but it's a problem that I've always wanted to help, because everyone deserves to feel beautiful."

…

**Not going to lie, these philanthropy projects are really difficult to write! I'm hoping you guys didn't mind Adele taking up too much time in the chapter, but stuff had to establish. I think for the rest I'm going to do a similar 500 words for each of them, unless you guys really don't care! **

**Also, if you have any complaints on how I'm writing your character PLEASE let me know!**

**Anyway, the fantabulous **UltimateMaxmericaShipper **has taken it upon herself to make a playlist of sorts for this story because she's awesome, so if there are any songs that you would like to suggest please leave it in a review and I will take a listen! Thanks so much!  
-Shades**


	82. Got Too Close

**The Story: So I was looking for something to watch last week and saw Little House on the Prairie on and I've been tuning in every day and wow I can't believe this is my life now I'm like an old lady with no friends except my cats and yet I find it so humorous I decided to broadcast it to ya'll…**

…**who are the best for reviewing **UltimateMaxmericaShipper, LadyAnj, 4Love4Love4, XOStarbrightXO, Nameless, Deeptha13, Lizcran, fairy not princess, delovlies, majestictales **as well as new reviewers **UnderTheJackPine **and **guest (**who I can't PM, so I'm doing it here—I'm so sorry, I wish I could write all day and update everyday but real life does have to come first, I try to post whenever I get past 8 pages!) **

**Part two of the philanthropy projects!**

…

Nicole forced a smile when she was announced next to present her project, and came to the stage. She had to admit, the three girls who had gone before her all had pretty cool projects. Adele had demonstrated her ability to think outside the box, and her passion for the subject. Katherine had showed her poise and what a great quality of queenliness she had, even if they were here to probably only be a princess. Gracie had showed her sweet, caring side, at the same time showing her new found maturity.

Nicole wasn't exactly trying to make a good impression, she was just stuck here, trying really hard not to fall for Ethan and keep her heart intact, and the projects were just required of it. She adjusted the short lace sleeves on her dove-gray gown and took the director's que to begin.

"Good evening. As many of you know, I came from caste Four. I worked in a factory making clothing, but it's been no secret that I invested much of my time in training in the arts of ballet." She caught Nat stifle a giggle, and Princess Christine smiled warmly at her. Nicole missed her time with the older girl, but she had lately preferred practicing on her own, if she practiced at all.

"I went to a great many lengths to achieve this goal, hiding it from my parents and sneaking into theaters to watch performances and staying up way too late to practice. For my project, I propose that we build places where kids can go and pursue any hobby, no matter their caste. It wouldn't be for job training, just a way to help them pursue their hobbies. It would keep kids from lower castes off the street, and give them something to pursue besides always working all the time. Kids could have a place to play sports, even if they weren't Twos pursuing a career in professional athletics, like Lady Sirena." She gave the redhead a grin. "They could have a place to practice musical instruments or paint and draw even if they weren't Fives." She smiled at Katherine, before turning her gaze to Ethan.

"Because no one deserves to have to live in a life filled with misery. We should have a way to enjoy life and not be barricaded behind castes. No one deserves to be trapped in their caste…or in any other situation." She added quietly. "And just because I loved to dance more than work, I shouldn't be punished for that. It shouldn't be illegal to have a hobby…and keep someone somewhere where they don't want to be."

She outlined her poorly thought out plan for these places, hoping desperately that Ethan had gotten her meaning. She didn't want to be here anymore.

…

Nat had gotten her sister's message loud and clear, but it was hard to listen to her, because deep down, Nat knew Nicole kind of wanted to stay, but she was just scared. There was so much going in her head lately, her project sounded pretty lame compared to the other girls. She had wanted a great idea, something to throw herself into and forget about what she needed to do, but she had been so conflicted with telling someone and not telling someone and if, who and if not, what would happen, she had been unable to think of a really good idea.

Her project targeted revamping orphanages. Sure, it needed to be done, but so many charities already did so, and it wasn't exactly an original project. As she gave her presentation, she could hardly keep focus, her internal struggle pulling her attention away from anything. She was sure that any minute the palace was going to erupt into gunfire again, despite the tripled security forces, or explode and it would be too late. And yet, she was constantly sure that someone would know that she was not only cheating on the prince, but with a rebel, and she knew they were meaning to attack yet again, and information about Mitch's attacks.

"Uh, if I were to become princess," N_ot likely, thrown out would be the best case, but I'll probably be beaten and stripped of my caste and turned to an Eight if not killed. _"Um, this project would need minimal funding, hopefully private charities would donate to our cause to offset some of the funding once it was started and…" She trailed off, another thought making its way to her head. _If the rebels attack again, you won't be safe because you're a Selected. You could be killed anyway if you don't tell them. _

But she couldn't do it. She just couldn't do it.

…

Sirena carefully lifted the hem of her black satin full skirt and put on a smile, even though she would rather run and hide. As she took the stage, she swallowed back her fear. It was time to give part of herself up. Katherine had done it, and now she had to.

"For a long time, I struggled with what to sponsor as my project." She began. "There was one idea that kept coming back to me, but it involved putting myself out there too much and I wasn't comfortable with it. But it's an issue that needs to be addressed, because I don't want anyone to go through what I have."

She shut her eyes, and inhaled deeply, trying to steady herself. "For years, ever since I began modeling, I have struggled with bouts of depression and numerous eating disorders." There, it was out.

"It seems weird to you, maybe, because I have famous parents and great modeling career and I'm the star forward on the Midston College woman's volleyball team—not that anyone remembers that." She added with a slight smile. "But for me, it was easy to fall into the trap of the world's lies, that I was never good enough, never thin enough, never pretty enough, never _enough._" She stared straight into the camera, refusing to look at her friends because she knew she would lose it. "I turned to parties, boys, and mostly alcohol, to try to make myself forget or to feel better, but the next day would always come and I would still be wrapped up in that lie.

"I want to speak out about this, because for years, I hated myself. Like my dear friend Katherine, it was only once I got here, and surrounded myself with real, wholesome, marvelous friends, and when someone, my knight in shining armor, finally noticed, and made me stop. He has been looking out for me ever since. I think we need to address that this is more of a problem than we realize. Too many people are struggling with depression, alcoholism, and eating disorders, when all it takes to get rid of them is friends who care about you and love you and someone to listen to you."

Sirena couldn't help the tears smudging her makeup now, and dabbed at them in vain. She saw Nat sitting with the other girls, crying as well, and all her other friends there. Ethan was smiling at her proudly. She went on to outline her plan for empowerment centers that would be run by her if she became princess, and what they would entail.

Letting go of this part of herself, she felt fantastic. It wasn't something she had to hide anymore, and she felt free.

…

It was a side of Sirena he had never seen. Ethan leaned back in his seat, trying to obscure his smile. With her new found confidence boosted even more, she took her seat, radiance sparkling all over her after giving up something that had always haunted her. He was proud of his girls.

Ebony was next. She looked stunning in her fitted one-shoulder scarlet gown, her raven tresses pinned up, with dangling chandelier earrings catching the light of the cameras. Silver eyeshadow sparkled on her eyelids, and she carried herself like a queen. Ethan couldn't take his eyes off her.

"Good evening, my fellow citizens." She began, her voice mesmerizing him. "I may be still somewhat new to this competition, but this project excited me immensely. Unlike Lady Nicole, I actually come from Yukon, and I know what it is like. Lady Elvira, no offense, but you haven't been to Sonage in a long time because of your work with the army. The rebellion is spreading, and they are hurting our people. And we have to do something to help them, because you don't know what it's like. For the last year, since the rebels began their fight, I lived in a world where going out any time of the day could potentially mean being raped, robbed, or even killed if it was anywhere near curfew. It will be winter soon, and on top of starvation and diseases, it will be freezing. There's no wood left to burn for us civilians because the rebels take it all, not to mention the charcoal and anything that will burn, including our homes. Electricity is spotty at best, there's no coats, no shoes, and no food. As of now, Yukon is made up of fifty percent rebels. Another ten percent of the population is Eights, exiled there on top of our normal population. Less than four percent of the population is made up of Twos, and most of them are being held prisoner. Threes, the largest caste, make up almost fifty percent of the population in most of the other provinces, but in Yukon, only roughly seven percent, because most of them left when things got bad, like the Twos. Fours and Fives make up almost fifteen percent, and Sixes and my own caste, Sevens, make up almost thirty percent. It's terrible there.

"Disease runs rampant through the streets, with no cures and no one who even cares. Things like colds and the flu go untreated and unvaccinated and turn to hypothermia and other things I don't even know. Work is almost impossible to come by. I was lucky to be able to work in a bar, but dancing for rebel soldiers was probably the best job I could have in my city. Even Threes can barely survive, and we're all pretty much in the same state. All schools have been shut down. You can pretty much only work for the rebels, or not at all. Lots of men I know fight for them because they'll die if they don't.

"And yet, no one understands how bad it is. No one cares. I didn't even want to come to this competition because how could I turn my back on my people and live in luxury while they died? Most of the people I knew before this started are either dead or gone, who knows where. Many of them are sick, and without help, my family probably won't make through it through the winter. Something has to be done."

She went on to lay out several ideas at how to help the people in Yukon, as well as the neighboring provinces that were starting to have an influx of rebels. But she kept leaving it up to the king to make a final decision, whether to air-drop supplies, send in the army, or what. Most of her speech made it clear that SOMETHING had to be done.

Ethan sat in shock, trying to take it all in. He had never really seen this side of Ebony before. Was it as compassionate as Katherine or Gracie? No way. It was a different compassion. She embodied the spirit of Sirena, the fighting determination of Elvira, and this quality of strength that he had never seen in anyone before.

Before he realized it, her time was up, and she went back to her seat as Elvira stood and passed her on the way to the front.

She was the last, and Ethan could see it had taken the toll on her. She seemed nervous, something he had never seen her as. She had swapped her black again for a deep blue, with long, sheer sleeves.

"My fellow Illeans, I come before you tonight representing our great military. As a soldier, by volunteering, I am proud to serve our country and do what I love and protect my fellow citizens. But my proposal tonight may anger some."

Elvira paused for breath, and bit her lip.

"I propose tonight, that we end the draft in Illea."

Ethan looked over at his father. The king looked like he was about to pop a blood vessel. He got up, off camera, and went over to talk to the director. Ethan turned his attention back to Elvira.

"Now, I know that some people may not understand, because what's wrong with more soldiers fighting? But I've seen them. Right now, the draft doesn't force women to join up, but whenever these new recruits come in, they usually don't want to be there. They fight because they have to, not because they want to. And employing the draft again now will only increase tensions with the rebels. People aren't happy with the way things are run and-"

Elvira kept talking but Ethan could no longer hear. They must have cut her mic off. Taren stepped forward awkwardly, and thanked her, his usually suaveness choppy. They cut to some pre-recorded footage of the wedding gown fittings.

"I'm sorry Lady Elvira, but this is no longer appropriate talk for our Report." The king said nonchalantly, off mic, since the footage was playing.

"…w-what?" for once, Ethan saw Elvira look unprepared.

"Your notion is preposterous. And I will not have those crazy ideas broadcasted to my country. Ethan, a word, if you please?"

"Surely it can wait?" Queen Francesca said pleadingly. "We don't want to make a scene on live television."

"The gown special is playing, no one will know." Ethan could tell his dad was losing patience. "I've had enough with this! First, _electing _officials? That is completely out of the question!"

Ethan saw Adele shrink back in her chair, her earlier passion gone and replaced with fear. "And the rest of them—mixing castes and jobs! Helping the rebels! Other than that they're all worthless!"

"Dad, maybe-"

"And stopping the draft! They're trying to undo the very fabric of this country! Send them home!"

"What?!" Ethan jumped up from his seat.

"Send them home! Lady Adele and Lady Elvira have to go home now, and you should send Lady Nicole home, but she can stay-for now."

"No."

"No? You don't understand, Ethan. You should always listen to me!"

"You don't run my life!" Ethan shouted back. "I should be able to choose my wife! They're just ideas!"

"An idea can be the undoing of a country." The king spoke in an even tone, his voice cold. It was almost more frightening than yelling. "And those who start those ideas cannot be allowed to stay in such prominent positions in the country."  
"Your majesty, we're cutting back to you to close the program." The director butted in hesitantly, looking ready to run away at the slightest provocation.

"Fine." The king adjusted his cuff links and sat back down. Ethan had no choice but to do so as well. They just to pretend everything was normal and they were fine.

"Well, there you have it, folks! The lovely ladies of the Selection! Next week we will air the happenings of the week, including a parade through the city of Angeles and a long-held tradition in the Selection, the Convicting, which will be held on Thursday and recorded so you don't miss out!"

Ethan gritted his teeth at Taren's continuous announcements. Sometimes, being a prince was the worst job in the world.

…

**So no one except** majestictales **left me any songs for the playlist, so if you want to, go ahead! Thanks so much!  
-Shades**


	83. The Whole World Could Change In A Minute

**The Story: Okay, going to tell it like it is. I want to address something, and I'm not like condemning it, but sort of just responding to it. I don't care if you keep doing it and you don't have to apologize, I just want to explain something. A lot of my reviewers (I love you all!) keep sort of goading me into writing certain scenes and certain ships and while I love your support and suggestions, things aren't always going to happen the way you want them to. I'm trying to portray these characters as flawed, and I don't really want things to work out perfectly like in fairy tale. There will be things they have to overcome, they have to endure, and learn. I'm not targeting anyone or anything specific, and I'm not trying to mean, just explain! **

**I also forgot to say this last chapter, yes, I did pretty much copy the books with Elvira and her project, but I'm not sorry. It's fanfiction. It's not going to be completely different from the books. So this chapter draws a lot of inspiration from the Heir. Another thing, a lot of you said that King Jackson was a lot like Maxon's father (drawing a name blank) and I'm trying to make them different, and I think they are, I'm just not doing a good job of portraying that. Okay extremely long AN over!**

…

Mitch Levi wasn't someone who was easy to forget.

In some regards, he had changed, Ebony reflected. It had been a while since she had last seen him, more than a year. He had disappeared a few months before the rebels had started their revolution in Yukon. He seemed different. Older. She guessed you had to grow up pretty fast when your dad was heading a revolution.

His face seemed more weathered, adding to the rather harshness of his angular jawline and high set cheek bones. The blonde hair that had always been sheared short was rather long now. It fell almost to his brown eyes, with those stubborn crinkles around them, and his heavy eyebrows.

"Ebony Winters…" He said, smirking devilishly. "Never thought I'd see the day, you being made into princess material." He held out his hand as if to shake hands, but when she did, he yanked her closer to him. "Thanks for meeting with me, love."

"I'm not your love, Mitch." Ebony jerked away. "And I'm not in princess training. I'm only here because I have to be."

"No, you're here because you want to be. Why else would you be here? I understand if you're trying to get my attention, but seriously, baby? The Selection? You could have just phoned and said you wanted me back."

Ebony scoffed, repulsed. If they weren't in the storage area beneath the palace, she would have yelled. "As if! Mitch, seeing you was the last thing I wanted to. Aside from getting back together that is."

"Then why did you?"

"I don't know. I was scared, I guess."

"Nah. You love me." He put his hands on his hips and raised an eyebrow teasingly.

"Don't be ridiculous. I told you-"

"Yeah, yeah. So if I was the last thing on your mind, what was the first? Princess?"

"I never wanted to be a princess! They—the royals—turned their back on us when the rebels—YOU!—came. We were starving, we were being killed, and we were dying! I _hate _them for that."

"Do you hate me, too?" He put his hand lightly on the small of her back.

"Don't play games with a girl who can play better, Mitch." She shook of his hand. "You left. And then I find out you and your dad you're responsible for all of it."

"So you do hate me. Pity. You could have been very useful to me."

"What?" Ebony took a step back.

"I wanted to ask you for help tonight." Mitch said casually.

"You want _my _help? No way!" She was half tempted to slap him. "Your father and his men were the very people who took control of my home! Your home! You were the ones killing us, raping my friends, not letting us have any food! How could you even think I would help you!" With a disgusted growl, she picked up the folds of her red gown from the Report a few hours earlier, and turned to sneak back to her room. Mitch stopped her, snatching her arm.

"Okay, so things didn't quite go as expected. We were starving too! But shouldn't the king have done something to stop it? He didn't. And I'm not my father. I only want to take down the current monarchy, and I will. I don't want to take Illea down with it. What my father did in Yukon was wrong. But what the king did by not doing his job was worse. Right?"

Ebony stared at Mitch for a long time trying to figure out if he was lying or not. She had grown up with this kid. And now he was leading a revolution and he wanted her to spy for him. He wasn't the king. He wasn't his father. This was Mitch. He stood for a new Illea.

"You know," He continued. "We can't have a king like this. He was never meant to be king but his older brother died—before we were born, of course. He doesn't know what to do outside of his own palace. And the queen is the same way. And so is Prince Andrew. They're so complacent. They are completely obsessed with appearances, traditions and formalities. They only care how they look to the people. They stage all this Selection crap and they honestly think it will fool the people. It won't."

"Tell me about it." Ebony muttered. "But I still don't want to help you. You don't know what it was like! You were in charge of it all! I can't forget that."

This time, Mitch was quiet, and staring at her. His cockiness was gone when he spoke next. It was whole different side to him.

"Ebs, running away from your past is a race you'll never win. You have to be stronger than that. You have to create a future." His voice was tender as put his hand on her arm, but it only irritated her.

"Step into my shoes and walk the life I'm living and if you get as far as I got, then just maybe you'll see how strong I really am." She snapped, turning away.

"You're really not good at letting people in, are you?" It was a statement not a question. "You know, when I finish this, I'll rule Illea the way it should be run. And I'll want you there with me."

"Forget the flattery, Mitch. Let me think about this." She started to leave, but paused. "And don't ever tell me I need to be stronger. I'm stronger than you'll ever be."

…

The day of the parade dawned beautifully. It was the day after the Report, Saturday. And despite King Jackson's outburst, all eight of them were all still there. They were wearing the wedding gowns they had taken pictures with Ethan in, minus the veils.

A gorgeous gilded carriage drawn by eight white horses provided their conveyance. It had three rows of seating, with three of them in each seat, except the last one, with only two, where Ebony and Elvira sat. Up front sat Katherine, Gracie, and Nicole; behind them sat Nat, Sirena, and Adele.

They were right in the middle of the parade, surrounded by troops of soldiers and guards, as well as the royal family in their own conveyances throughout. They would ride down the main road going through Angeles. The crowds were held back by a phalanx of guards and velvet roping. They lined the streets, hanging out of windows and fire escapes, all watching.

Nicole was nervous, considering the mob had been in this city a little less than two weeks ago. But apparently it would be safe. She noticed right off, that the people weren't cheering, as she thought. Most of them were silent. Some clapped, and few yelled and the children cheered, but it wasn't a very festive affair. Obviously, the royal family didn't have much support anymore.

While it was supposed to be celebratory time to honor them, it turned more into a somber affair, the clopping of the horse's hooves louder than the throngs of civilians. Nicole looked at the other girls. They were smiling and waving half-heartedly, but it was clear that something was wrong.

In front of their carriage, Ethan was riding his gray horse. Nicole watched him, his astute stature ramrod straight on the horse. She was bit disappointed she was still here. While she had never intended for her project to get her sent home, a spur of hope had gone through her at the king's outburst. But it was hard to hide it from herself anymore. She had tripped and fallen in love but she was too scared to jump off the cliff and do anything about it. She wanted to run the other direction, away from the cliff, as fast and far away as possible. Her pride wasn't helping either, and neither was Ethan's other girls.

After a while, as their convoy drew to the center of town, Nicole became aware of people shouting, and more than just the children cheering.

"What's going on?" Sirena asked.

"I don't know." Nat murmured.

They drew closer, and the yelling increased. Since they were towards the front of the parade, nothing had really stopped yet. They were passing a park, with people taking advantage of the grass to watch the parade with younger children. However, by then, most of the attention was focused on a group of three men, one standing on a bench, the other two right below him. Nicole recognized him after a moment. She was pretty sure he had worked at Trentworth, and then at the palace.

"We have been slaves long enough!" He shouted. His voice was threatening, fuller of hope than anything else. "And there are some of us who believe that what the rebels is doing is wrong, but neither who are happy with the monarchy." He cast a nervous glance towards their carriage as they approached, but continued. "You all heard Lady Adele's valiant claim on the Report last night—and we will no longer be ruled without any say in the governing of this country! The United States of America was founded on the principles of freedom, and those liberties were taken from us, and they were not given back. Not only are we not represented in the government, but we have no way to pursue our dreams. We are stuck in our castes! You saw Lady Nicole bring this point to life last night! Why should what our ancestors dictate what jobs we can do? Everyone should have the right to pursue their dreams, if they work hard enough. As Lady Elvira said, no one should be forced to do things. Our country, yes, made some mistakes, but the United States of America was a great country, with great principles. And since the creation of Illea, that has disappeared. We need a revolution—not one like the rebels have proclaimed. We just need a voice.

"It ain't right, what we've become! The king thinks we're trash, with respect for nothing, including each other. Is that who we are? But if we stand together, we change the whole game! It isn't a crime to be poor, to work hard! All that we ask is for a voice."

The man's speech was greeted with applause and yelling, some more loud than others.

"Ladies and gentlemen," The man finished as their carriage now pulled parallel. "The ladies of the Selection have given us hope!" This new statement somewhat quieted the applause.

Another man, who had been standing in the crowd before, dressed in much shabbier clothing, and for colder weather than the balmy warmth of Angeles, even in the fall; stepped up on the bench, bumping into the first speaker.

"But while they live in luxury, we're starving and have no jobs! Now that doesn't seem right to me."

This statement was meant again with more yelling in affirmation, but not the hopeful kind that the first speaker's had brought. He had stepped down from the bench after being jostled.

"They are no better than us, so why should they get to live in the palace?" He continued to charge the crowd that had gathered to hear the non-threatening statements of the man who worked in the palace. Nicole heard the clop of horse's hooves, and then several guards were riding towards the gathering.

"We will not be put down by this monarchy!" The second man yelled. He pulled a pistol out of his jacket and jumped off the bench. "Who's with me?!" He cried, before running towards the guards.

Their carriage pulled away quickly, with shouts from the guards who rode beside them to get down. Nicole heard gunshots and yelling. Terrified, she hunkered down in the seat. Behind her, Adele cried out, twisting in her seat to look behind them. They could hear a few people telling the crowd to stop, but to no avail. The carriage jolted over the road, and they cut down a side street, away from all the noise. After a while, the headlong flight slowed, and one of the guards who had been riding beside them told them they could sit up. The carriage stopped, and Nicole raised her head, slowly unclenching her hands from the armrest.

Two large black sedans like the ones they had arrived in, were parked on a side street, more towards the palace. The carriages that the royal family had been parading in were stopped just in front of them, with Andrew and Ethan on horseback. They were all quickly helped out and shuffled quickly into the cars.

Nicole ended up squished in between Elvira and Ebony. All things considered, it was probably the safest place. As the cars rolled away back towards the palace, Gracie broke down, and started to sob. Nicole didn't blame her, she was pretty close to tears herself. They were all silent. Adele must have been crying early because her makeup was all smudged. Katherine was white faced and watery eyed and kept wiping her eyes. Unexpectedly, Nat was crying softly too. Only Ebony and Elvira looked stable.

"What happened back there?" Nicole whispered to Elvira. She would probably know.

"I don't know. Looks like there's a group between the monarchists and rebels, but the rebellion got the best of people." Elvira shrugged. "I guess we really did get them fired up."

"Hunger. I've seen it before. In Yukon." Ebony said smoothly. She glanced at Nicole, and Nicole remembered that she was supposed to still be representing Yukon. "When there aren't any jobs you can't buy food. It can turn a man's mind crazy if he can't feed his family."

"But…in Angeles? It's the biggest city in Illea." Nicole was confused.

"Every city has poor people, Nicole." Ebony said, staring out the window. "And these are hard times."

Nicole didn't say anything else. She felt woefully inadequate around Ebony these days.

…

The palace was in craziness when they got back. Guards were practically pulling them out of the cars and into the palace. All the staff working in the Main Hall seemed to stop and breathe a sigh of relief as Ethan followed his parents inside. Sophia was waiting, looking even more flustered than usual.

Ethan stopped to wait for the Selected. They looked shaken up, but no worse for wear. Ebony broke into a slight jog to reach him first. She hugged him wordlessly, pressing her body close to his. When she pulled away, her eyes looked slightly tearful. She gave him a half-smile, and didn't say anything.

"Ladies, I am so sorry this had to happen. If you will go to your rooms, the rest of the day's activities are cancelled. We will reconvene for dinner." Sophia was saying. Ethan watched Ebony go towards the stairs as the rest of the girls came inside.

She was beautiful, in the way a forest fire was beautiful.

He turned his attentions back to the others. Sirena looked awfully shaken, but she still managed a bright smile.

"Could have been worse." She said, shrugging, and smoothing back an errant strand of hair. "No one died."

"At least none of us." Ethan corrected. He had overheard his father speaking to the captain of the guard about the deaths of two guards and three civilians. Despite himself, Ethan wanted to hug her. These were his girls, as weird as it sounded. He was glad they were safe. She returned the embrace gratefully.

Nat was right after her. She had definitely been crying.

"Do you think they planned that?" She asked.

"No, I don't think anyone expected that to happen." He gave her a hug, and she returned it half-heartedly. It didn't seem to comfort her.

Nicole smiled stiffly at him. He hugged her too, and she returned the embrace after a moment, wrapping her graceful arms around his neck. For just a moment, her shoulders seemed to relax and she sighed, and then pulled away without a word.

Katherine was wiping her eyes as she approached him. He put his hands on her shoulders, forcing her to stop.

"You okay?" He asked her.

She smiled bravely. "I will be. Just frightened, is all. You must think I'm stupid for crying." She attempted a laugh.

"You're braver than you think, Kate." He hugged her close, resting his chin on her shoulder and inhaling the soft scent of her honeysuckle perfume. He reluctantly released her to go to her room.

Adele would barely even look him in the eye and she returned his hug without much emotion.

"Are you alright?" He asked her. She nodded, biting her lip. Ethan hoped it was just the scare and not something worse. Her usual perfect makeup was smudged, she had probably been crying during the ride. He made a note to talk to her soon, she had been acting strangely aloof lately.

Gracie had stopped crying, and seemed in need of a good hug. She shuddered with a silent sob as he wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head.

"It's going to be okay." He whispered.

"I know. I was just so scared." She mumbled into his shirt. "It happened so fast, that look in their eyes, not knowing where you were…" She shoulders shook, and Ethan squeezed her tighter.

He cared so deeply for these girls. If anything happened to them…he didn't know what he would do. Because he would marry one of them.

He released Gracie, and wiped away a stray tear. She managed a smile, and then went on her way.

Elvira was last. She looked fine, a little stressed, if anything. Ethan sighed. His father had talked to him in the car on the way here. It was time to send her home.

"Hey, can I talk to you?" He reached for her hand, but she pulled away.

"I know what you're going to say. Don't drag it out." She actually smiled.

"You do." It was a statement not a question.

Her smile turned into a smirk. "Let me think. You want go somewhere private?"

Ethan led her to the Great Room. It was right by the main doors, and always empty. The huge room sparkled in the late morning sunshine, strangely silent. Dust motes floated peacefully in the air.

"I'm surprised it took you this long. I've known for a while that we were never meant to be." Elvira seemed totally at ease.

Ethan was not. He sighed, and leaned against the wall, hands in his pockets. "I guess I have to. But it's hard not to keep you around. You're so…cool. Everyone tends to want to be close to you. And don't get me wrong, you would make a fantastic queen…"

"But you're not looking for a queen. You're looking for a wife. Someone who would never be queen. A princess." Elvira said gently. "And with what I said on the Report, that kind of makes me not princess material. It's okay. I don't want that life either."

"I don't exactly want you to go home. I need you here. That is, if you want. You're one of the best military strategists I've met. And they never have taken you seriously while you're still a Selected. So, I guess I'm hoping you'll take the job."

"I'd love to." Elvira breathed, beaming. "I was hoping someone would offer me something like that when I leave."

They were quiet for a moment.

"Well Ethan, it's been great getting to know you. I've seen you grow up and it's been awesome." She smiled warmly.

"It was amazing having you here. You better come back for the wedding. I just don't know with who yet." Ethan looked down.

"Trust me." She squeezed his hand. "You'll know."

She turned to go, her heels echoing loudly on the tile in the empty room. He would miss her edgy looks, her awesome dresses, and her quietly powerful ways. The way she commanded a room without saying anything, and when she did, how witty it was.

Elvira hesitated, her hand at the door. She turned back around and strided back towards him. "One more thing."

She took his face in her hands, and kissed him in a way he had never experienced from any girl. There were no fireworks, no heart palpitations, but it was a pretty amazing kiss.

She stepped back, and then wrinkled her nose slightly. "Yeah, no offense, but we're meant to be friends. Just wanted to see how that felt."

"And how did it?" He asked after regaining his senses.

She thought for a moment. "Nice."

And then, with a smirk, she left.

…

***listens to Titanic soundtrack while writing this and get unexpectedly choked up***

**Elvira has always been one of my favorite girls, and I'm so sad to see her go…**

**Anyway, hope this wasn't too confusing, I had to rewrite the middle several times. But the Convicting will be coming up soon, so please, my Pinterest friends, take to the internet and help me choose a white and gold dress for your character, as well as any jewelry ideas you may have for Ethan to give her! I love all of you!  
-Shades**


	84. Letters

**The Story: I'm kind of a jerk and I think I went overboard on my author's note last time. I didn't mean to scare all my reviewers away! I always love to hear from you guys, but just know that things will happen, and you might not like them. I didn't meant to hurt anyone's feelings! I'm so sorry for being harsh! **

**Thanks to those who stuck around anyway! **UltimateMaxmericaShipper, delovlies, the5SOS-YAfangirl (**x2)**, XOStarbrightXO, UnderTheJackPine, LadyAnj, 4Love4Love4, Deeptha13, Lizcran, **and new reviewer **THEselectionIsLIFE. **Check out her story! **

**Also, my friend **Waffle0 **has a new cool looking syoc story on fictionpress called "Royal" Check it out!**

**This is a different format than usual, but I thought it would be fun to try! A bit of filler, since I'm terrible at getting things in order for big things coming soon (Convicting!) **

…

_Dear Wesley, _

_I am excited that I finally get to write to you! I'm not in the Selection, and I'm not breaking any rules, and since I made it to the Elite, I'm a Three now and respective company for you!. I'm not positive you'll receive this, but you should, thanks to the address you sent me. _

_I miss you dearly, of course, but it is nice to be home. Especially after hearing about everything that's happened there, I'm glad to be here with my family. They have all grown so much and it's only been a few months! With the holidays starting in a few weeks, I'm happier than ever to be home. _

_I only wish we could have a normal relationship, but I'm not too upset I had to leave the Selection. Of course I miss all the pretty gowns and desserts and maids, but I'm a Three now. My family are still Sevens, but we live like at least Twos, although how should I know? I have enough money from that they can live with me in the house the palace is paying for "in this difficult transition period following your time in the Selection". Real nice of them, huh? Haha, its fine. My brothers have eaten so much sugar I bought from getting my stipend, they are so always running around the house! _

_I hope you're well, Wes. I miss you an awful lot, but it's for the best. Maybe you can come for Christmas or something if your parents allow. Or perhaps I could come there. I don't know. I'm sure that whenever Ethan chooses his wife, we'll all be coming back as tradition. I can't wait to see you again! I think of you every day, but other than that, I'm fine!_

_Write to me soon, I miss you! I know, I'm whining, but hopefully you'll forgive me. : )_

_Love, _

_Lissa. _

…

_Dear Lis. _

_My gorgeous, graceful, gifted, gallant, good, gentle, glorious, generous, glamourous, girlfriend. _

_That took me forever to come up with, just to let you know. _

_I miss you too, but I am glad I don't have to worry about getting caught or you being hurt by all that's happening. I will tactfully talk to my parents about you or me seeing each other over the holidays…we'll see how that goes! _

_They've decided to postpone me going to military school for now, until after Ethan's Selection and this whole business about the rebels dies down. Let me know if you need any money or anything, I'll send some. I want you to be happy! I'm rubbish at writing letters, but I miss you! _

_I probably whine a lot more than you. I can't wait to meet your family and see you again. You would think that being a prince would be great but there are a lot of restrictions and stuff, namely you. Maybe I can sneak away and we can meet up at Trentworth. I'd get punished but it would be worth it to see the beach again. _

_And you, always you. I miss you terribly. I love you. _

_Love returned always,_

_Wes_

…

_Dear Wes, my sensational, sweet, stupid, spectacular, sassy, sarcastic, sympathetic, silly…knight in __s__hining armor,_

_Aw, you're too sweet. Alliteration always shows signs of true love, I'm sure. Hopefully with all those Selection girls and celebrities running around there, you'll forget about little old me! I hope all is fine at the palace! I do sort of wish I could have been there for the wedding gown specials they did. That would have been fun. _

_Maybe not, I wouldn't have wanted to pretend to be marrying Ethan. Not that there wasn't anything wrong with him, just wouldn't have wanted that. _

_I've had the opportunity to take several classes at the university here in Tammins. I love learning, though you might find it weird. I never had much of an opportunity to do so before! I don't know if I want to be a teacher or what. Maybe a historian. It's fascinating! You must think I'm a nerd, but I don't care. You probably won't, anyway, you're too sweet. _

_For now, they are sending enough money to help me "transition". I have all I could ever need! Except you of course :) I'm glad you're not going off to military school. I don't want you to do any fighting. Selfish of me, isn't it? I want you all in one piece for your Selection. I want to see you on the Report just like you were when I said goodbye. _

_If you see Gracie, tell her I said hi! I sent her a letter too! I miss her, and all the girls! Especially you, though! _

_Love, your gorgeous, graceful, gifted, gallant, good, gentle, glorious, generous, glamourous, girlfriend_

_Lissa_

…

_I'll forget you? That's what you think? Never. I can't stop thinking about you. _

_Oh right. _

_Dear lovely, lovable, loving, life-saving, level headed, lion-hearted, loyal, luxurious Lissa_

_I think you can do whatever you set your mind to. You're really bright and smart, not to mention beautiful! : ) I miss you terribly. I would never call you a nerd. _

_I sort of wish I was. Being cooped up in the palace all day gets a little old, as you know. Military school would be funish. Better than being around sulky Mr Ethan all day. He's miserable. I thought Selections were supposed to be fun? _

_Mine certainly won't be. I'll be thinking about you the whole time. I guess I'll be just as miserable. Just not quite as awkward. I don't want to have any girl but you. And I can't have you. _

_Anyway, I miss you. Again. Seeks like I always miss you these days. I have enough to keep me occupied with all my studies and assignments from my father. I'm sure you're off doing much more fun things than me cooped up here everyday! We can't even go outside anymore, too dangerous. I don't see why, but oh well. _

_Hope to see you soon somehow. _

_Yours,_

_Wes_

_Dear Gracie,_

_I miss you so much my dear friend! I think about you often, and hope you're doing okay, away at the palace living a fairy tale. _

_Aside from all the gowns and delicacies and friendships and perks of living at the palace, I am happy to be home. You know I never loved Ethan. For me, it was Wesley. You remember, that night at Trentworth, the party? I wanted to tell you all my secrets, but I didn't want to endanger you in any way. We met secretly and formed a romance. While I miss him, I'm no longer breaking any rules writing to him. I just wish I could see him. _

_But how are you and Ethan? It was no secret you fancied him. You looked gorgeous in the pictures of the magazine spread, but also like you have a lot of competition. _

_I do love your new haircut that you revealed on the Report. It frames your face perfectly, and it really suits you! Your gown too, the one you wore in the parade and in the magazine pictures showed me a new side of you, and you were stunning. _

_Anyway, tell me your news! I miss girl talk! _

_Your friend, _

_Lissa_

…

_Dear Lissa,_

_I am so excited to hear from you! I miss you too! All the girls here still pretty nice (well, except Ebony) but I miss my best friend. _

_Did you think we didn't notice your little infatuation with Wesley? Of course we did! I am so glad you are happy even at home, but I know you must miss him. _

_Love is a strange thing. It can be terribly wonderful and terribly painful at the same time. I've known I loved Ethan for a long time. I don't know if he knows. He seems so terribly stressed and I want to help, I just don't know how._

_Well, I have to leave for dinner now, but I'll write again soon!_

_Gracie_

…

_Dear Gracie, _

_I think he would be blind not to know. We all knew! You're very honest, and you don't hide your emotions well. Not that it's a bad thing. I'm the same way. _

_You could always make him another cupcake!_

_I have to go to class now, but I wanted to send this! _

_Lissa_

…

_Dear Colin,_

_My heart almost stopped the other day during the parade. When I saw you up there, speaking like that, I knew I loved you. I haven't seen you in these last two days, and I need to speak with you. I'll never forget what you said up on that bench. But that man ruined it. I think I understand now what you fight for. Freedom. And I want that freedom, Colin. I want it with you. I'm willing to fight. _

_Please contact me soon. _

_Love, Adele._

…

…

A cupcake. There was a cupcake on his desk.

Ethan stepped into his room, his eyes centering on his desk, in between the deep oak bookshelves. He walked closer, eyeing the cute dessert like it was a bomb. A small note lay folded next to it. Ethan glanced around the room, but no servants occupied the room. He looked down at the cupcake. It appeared to be chocolate, topped with blue frosting and a little thing that looked like a crown. He picked up the note, and unfolded it.

_Ethan, _

_I know that you've been really stressed lately. This is the least I could do. I have missed you lately, but like I said, I know you've been busy! I can't imagine what your responsibilities must be like and I didn't know what else to do. _

_Another thing. I've known how I feel about you for some time, but I'm always too scared to tell you in person. Of you haven't noticed you must be pretty stupid, all the girls say I'm pretty transparent when it comes to these things…._

_I think I love you. __ Actually, that's a lie. I know I love you. I've known it for a long time, probably before I even talked to you, before I came here. I always thought it was sort of just a crush, for a celebrity. I never ever thought it would come to this, me getting Selected, coming to the palace, meeting you, and knowing that this would end up like this. Even if I did become part of the Selection, imagining that we could get along well was all part of my wildest dreams. _

_I'm usually not so poetic, but when I think about you, the words come easy. I know I should tell you these things, but it's always easier to write them down, I guess. I think that in each life, there is one person meant for another person. I hope you don't mind me saying, but I think I found mine. _

_I guess it's a stupid reason to make a cupcake. But I don't know. I think I'm going to need a lot more princess lessons. _

_Yours always,_

_Gracie. _

With a sigh, Ethan set down the note, and rubbed his forehead tiredly.

He never had been naturally good at putting his feelings out there. Or knowing what his feelings were. Or dealing with them. Or having them. Apparently, besides being a little shy, Gracie didn't.

It wasn't that there was anything wrong with that. Or her, for that matter. She was pretty, though she wasn't a knock out next to a girl like Sirena or Ebony. A simple kind of pretty, but still pretty. She was super bubbly and sweet and the kind of girl you would want to spend a lot of time with. Never judgmental, and always adoring, Gracie had always made him feel like Prince Charming. He just wasn't sure if that's who he wanted to be.

He unwrapped the cupcake and decided to go ahead and eat it, since there was no way Gracie would poison it. He sat at his desk, looking at his notes. There were so many things to be done lately, he seemed like he's never catch up.

Sending Elvira home after the rally during the parade seemed like the least of the issues. They had dealt with the problem and buried the accidental victims and said speeches. But the rebels kept popping up, attacking service offices and known supporters of the monarchy. Propaganda was being sent out before they could stop it, and they didn't know the sources. Not only that, but his father insisted they go through the Convicting, even though these girls would probably never become queen.

It was a lot to plan, just another part of his Selection. On top of all the organization-not only the initial ceremony, but also the political aspect, and who would be Convicted—there was also an old tradition that he give all the girls a gift of jewelry. Just one more subject he knew nothing about. He had asked Michelle and Christine to help him, but they had told him it had to be from him. He almost bribed Wesley to do it for him, but his mischievous little brother didn't need money and would have just taken the money and done nothing for his troubles. His mom had just shown him the necklace, ring, and earrings his dad had given her, and told him to choose carefully, these girls would get to keep these for the rest of their lives. She told him to make sure it suited each girl's tastes, too.

Usually, the Convicting took place when there were fewer girls, four or five, but Ethan had seven. He missed Elvira more than he could say, but she had been reassigned in the army headquarters an hour north, and he had been pleased to read several reports issued by her. He sat down at his desk, wiping crumbs off from the tasty cupcake, shuffling through the papers he had asked the maids of the girls to give him with reports of what jewelry the girls might like, and tried to pick what they might like out from photos the jewelers had given him. This was a minefield, but it had to be done. The Convicting was in two days, and he still had to give them to the girls.

That may be the hardest part. It was much easier to talk to them all now that he had spent so much time with them all, and he genuinely cared about all of them. But giving them gifts? Part of the jewelry sets were supposed to be rings, wasn't that a bit like getting engaged? He liked them all, but he didn't know about marriage. And giving gifts was kind of a sign of love. It was embarrassing him just thinking about it. He didn't have much experience with the how romance thing.

Feelings were hard.

…

**Alright, that's about it! Please review! **

**Also, feel free to pin anything or send it to me, especially if you want your character to wear a specific gown for the Convicting (white and gold) or get any specific jewelry from Ethan!**

**-Shades**


	85. With This Ring

**The Story: When you're at work and they have to shut down because the water line breaks and you're not allowed to be open so you get to go home early and watch Dancing with the Stars (HAYES NO) and FINALLY finish the chapter. *fist pump***

**Yeah, I'm so sorry this took forever. I have a job now, and yeah, I'm exhausted when I get home. Adulting sucks! I also got really obsessive in picking out stuff for the next few chapters (Convicting jewelry and dresses) and started re-thinking some plot lines!**

**Thanks to **fairy not princess, Princess Swim (**x2)**, THEselectingIsLIFE, majestictales (**x2 and another story-fied song lyric :), **Lizcran, delovlies, the5SOS-YAfangirl, Deeptha13, UltimateMaxmericaShipper, XOStarbrightXO, 4Love4Love4**, and** LadyAnj** for your lovely reviews, support and love**!

…

Sometimes, it was hard to remember Christmas was coming.

For Katherine, Christmas always meant many extra hours in the bakery, cold weather, snow, and family time. Here, it was different. As October waned into November, the autumn rains ended, and it was noticeably cooler and the sun angle seemed different, but that was it. She could tell the holiday season was coming, but only by the hubbub of the staff, and the subtle change of fall colors to more wintery ones in tablecloths, fresh flowers, and things like that.

And apparently, if there was a Selection going on as it became winter, that also meant the Convicting.

It has been scheduled for last week, but after the rally-turned-riot, it had been postponed, especially with Elvira leaving, a few things had to be changed. It was odd, again, to feel the older girl's absence, especially in the Woman's Room. There was a time when all thirty five of them had been here. Now, only seven remained.

It was also odd to hear things from Queen Francesca, instead of Sophia, who sat nearby, with a huge stack of papers. Queen Francesca stood before them, telling them exactly the Convicting was going to entail, and proper etiquette and so forth. Even though it was morning, like always, she wore a long, floor length gown, of deep magenta, with long lace sleeves. In fact, looking back, Katherine couldn't remember seeing her wear anything but formal gowns, even though the seven of them and Sophia all were wearing day dresses.

"The Convicting is simple enough. It's one of those things that sounds much more challenging than it is, but above all it's symbolic." She said, her voice cold and distant, like her husband's, the king. "Even though you ladies are third in line for the position of queen, and it's doubtful that should happen, it has been a tradition in every Selection.

"It's a grand event. All eyes will be on you. The traditional dress is white and gold—almost bridal. Your maids have been working on sketches for weeks, but if there is anything specific, talk to them. You will also be required to wear floor-length capes, as a symbol that one of you will become royalty. There will be several magistrates here, not to mention many of the legislators, advisors, governors, and so forth, and of course, the royal family. That is also to say it will be heavily televised, and will need to be perfect."

She showed the seven of them an outline of the Great Room, as well as a photograph. Toward the back of the room a stage was set up with stairs across the front of it, and three massive thrones were centered on the platform. In the front were four small stages with lone seats on them. The room glittered, seemingly more so than usual. Everything seemed draped, gilded, and sparkling with gold, in contrast to the cream marble floor.

"The Convicting is meant to be a symbol of your submission to the law." Queen Francesca continued. "One of you will become the new princess, and if the need should ever arise, maybe queen. The law is how we live, and it will be your duty not only to live by it but to uphold it. And so you will start with the Convicting. A man who has committed a crime will be brought in. These are cases that are worthy of a whipping, but these men will spend time in jail instead. And you will send them there. It's symbolic, really."

Katherine frowned. It sounded a little more than symbolic. Next to her, Nicole shifted uncomfortably in her chair. When she glanced at the rest of the girls, all of them seemed uneasy. Adele looked confused, Gracie was biting her lip, Ebony looked downright angry, Sirena's brow was wrinkled and her lips were pursed in thought. Nat kept her eyes on her lap, her hands twisted together so her knuckles were white.

And yet, the queen's voice showed no sign of distress, pity, or even any change in tone at all. She gave a mirthless smile, her eyes still remained frosty. "It's quite simple." She smoothed back her russet hair, piled high on her head. "Any questions?"

"Why is this fair?" Ebony blurted out. "It seems a little unnecessary, even if we were going to be queen."

Queen Francesca lifted her chin, narrowing her eyes. "It seems, Lady Ebony, you have much to learn. Not only is this tradition for _any _Selection, if you are unable to complete the ceremony, you are unable to in the line for the throne, or marry into it. Which means a, um, well, an elimination."

"Well, who are were going to convict?" Sirena asked. "What crimes have they committed? And what will we be Convicting them to?"

"Traditionally, it is a small crime, such as thievery or brawling or what have you. However, this time around, my husband, King Jackson of Illea,"

_Not that we didn't know that…_

"Has decided it would be more…appropriate…to convict men who have not been loyal to the monarchy…rebels. For their crimes, they will be imprisoned for life or sentenced to die."

Katherine gasped, hearing many of the others do as well. And yet, the queen didn't bat a perfectly mascara-ed eyelash. She gave a non-committal shrug. "It's tradition, what they deserve of their crimes." She said lightly.

Ebony leapt up from her seat. "What? Killing a man for not agreeing with what you do?"

"Sit down, Lady Ebony." Queen Francesca said sternly. Ebony did no such thing.

"They are rebelling for a reason." Her terse voice sounded a lot queenlier than the current one's ever did. "They rebel because you do nothing to help them! And you would kill them for that?"

"Lady Ebony, _sit down_! The queen yelled. Ebony plopped down, glaring. "You sound as if you were one yourself." She gave a knowing smile. Ebony was silent.

"Any man who disagrees with the Crown and uses any sort of action against us is guilty of treason, for which is punishable by death or life in prison, depending on the severity of the actions."

At this, Adele had an outburst. "What if they are not rebels? There are some people who disagree with your rule but not to the degree of the so-called rebels."

"Excuse me, Lady Adele." Queen Francesca said. "A rebel is a rebel, no matter what they consider themselves."

Adele was silent, and so were the rest of the girls.

"Good." The queen smiled coldly. "Make sure you pay attention to the rest of what Sophia explains. I trust you will all complete the ceremony."

Katherine didn't like this one bit.

…

Seven girls. Seven necklaces.

Six months in. Six would go home.

Five rings, five minutes each—at the least.

Four sets of earrings, four brunettes.

Three bracelets, three pieces each.

Two tiaras, two blondes.

One red-head…and one very nervous prince.

Ethan swallowed back his fear, and headed down to the second floor. It was just after dinner, and he had left a few minutes early to get the jewelry boxes from his room, and find two maids to help him carry them. He didn't want to surprise the girls too late, and it was the perfect time.

It wasn't even like he had never met them before. Theoretically, this should be easier than meeting them all for the first time, or sending them home, or what have you. But for some reason he couldn't contain his racing heartbeat. Giving them jewelry was different than a date or flowers. It meant something.

Gracie's room came first. Ethan found her box, hoping she would like the set he had picked out for her. He had decided to give her a tiara, necklace, and a ring, of pearls in silver settings. He knocked, and a moment later, the door opened, by one of the maids. She immediately curtsied in breathless excitement.

"Who is it, Lizzie?" Came Gracie's voice.

"Um, the prince, my lady." The maid stammered as she gestured for Ethan to enter. The two other maids jumped up from where they had been sitting on the bed, straightening their aprons. Gracie was sprawled across her comforter, still dressed from dinner, but her hair unpinned and splayed over the pillows like her skirt. She quickly say up, angelic in the soft light of the lamps in her room. Her newly shorn hair fell to her collarbone, framing her face with soft, blonde, ringlets. The peach colored crepe gown she wore only added to her angelic appearance.

"Ethan! What brings you here this late?" She smiled brightly, and slipped off her bed, her evening chat with her maids over. He noticed her feet were bare. "Is something wrong?"

"…no." He stammered, feeling like it three months ago, when there were still scores of girls and not just seven. "Um…" He glanced at the maids nervously.

"Oh. Could you guys give us some privacy?" Gracie asked them softly. They curtsied and left the room silently.

"So what's up?" Gracie nodded to the box in his hands. "What do you have there?"

Ethan thrust it at here, feeling far more embarrassed than he should have. "Here."

He watched, his hands in his pockets, as she untied the ribbon around the box, and opened it up. A tiny gasp of air escaped her, and she put her hand to her heart.

"Oh!" She cried. "They're the most gorgeous things I've ever seen!"

Reverently, she lifted out the necklace, a double strand of snowy pearls, bridged by a silvery tangle covered with miniscule sparkling diamonds. She splayed it over her hands, her eyes sparkling. "How beautiful!" She breathed. "Will you?" She offered it to him, and then turned.

Ethan undid the clasp and brushed back her hair, his fingers sweeping over her neck. He laid the necklace over her collarbone and then tightened the clasp, not knowing what to say.

Next, Gracie took out the tiara, a thin silver band of alternating pearls and silvery diamonds. She caught a breath, and traced her finger over the delicate pattern, before slipping it over the crown of her head, pushing back her curls.

Last was a small velvet box inside the larger box. She opened it, and gasped.

"It's for the Convicting." Ethan blurted out. "It's tradition to give the ladies of the Selection a set of jewelry to wear."

"Oh."

He thought her face fell just slightly, and recalled the note and the cupcake. The small box contained a ring, a large pearl with a tiny diamond on each side on a silver setting.

"Do you like them?"

"They're stunning." She slipped on the ring and held it out for him to admire. "I can't believe you picked them out yourself."

"Me neither." It was the first thing that came to his mind. Ethan immediately felt embarrassed all over, but Gracie giggled appreciatively. That was one of the best things about her. He could do no wrong in her eyes.

"You should give yourself more credit." She reached for his hand and squeezed it. "I love them."

He studied her face, unable not to. Maybe it was just her new haircut, but he suddenly noticed that Gracie had a new-found maturity to her. Her blue eyes still sparkled with innocence and an ever-present joy, but there was just something new about her…and he liked it.

The corners of her mouth twitched up. "What?" She looked a little self-conscious now, smoothing her hair back.

"Nothing." He smiled. "But…with that settled, I should probably be going."

Gracie nodded. "Right. Sometimes I forget I'm not the only one here." Reluctantly, she let go of his hand, and he knew she wanted to say more. "Well, goodnight."

"Goodnight." He turned to go, opening the door, but before he could step into the hall, she stopped him, grabbing him by the shoulders, and yanking him back around. Her hands went around his neck and she pulled his face down to hers and rose on her tip-toes in one smooth motion, colliding her mouth against his in a passionate kiss.

It was much different from the sweet peck of their first and so far only kiss, and Gracie once again showed him some new found maturity. Still, she pulled away after only about ten seconds, grinning from ear to ear. She sank back down to the balls of her feet, and an adorable pink blush rose in her cheeks.

"I've been wanting to do that for a while. Goodnight!" She gave him a little shove into the hallway and closed the door behind him.

Ethan stood dumfounded for a moment, his blood running hot, still on fire with the memory of the kiss. He had sworn off kissing, right? He just hoped giving girl's jewelry didn't make them all kiss you.

He would be in a coma if he got kissed by seven girls tonight.

.

As he walked down the second floor's main hallway, he marveled at how empty it seemed. With nearly fifty rooms, it was more than enough to handle the Selection, just like all the vacation homes were. But with only seven girls left, it seemed empty. He came to Adele's room next.

He had taken a bit of a risk with her jewelry, and gone with drama. The familiar nerves came back up as he knocked at her door.

Instead of a maid, Adele answered. She had already changed for the evening, and was dressed in a nightgown, with a lace wrap thrown over her shoulders. Her short curls were brushed up, and she still managed to look fantastic.

She started in surprise, seeing him instead of one of the staff, and immediately re-arranged her wrap, and executed a shaky curtsy. "Oh. Hi! I wasn't expecting you." She stammered. "I would have…not answered the door in my jammies."

"I just need to speak with you for a few minutes." Ethan assured her. She kept her smile plastered on, but blinked in surprise.

"Oh. Um, is something wrong?" She seemed strange again, out of touch and anxious.

"No. Uh, is this a good time?"

"Why wouldn't it be?" Adele smiled widely. They stood in the door way for a few moments.

"Can I come in?"

"Oh! Sure! Sorry." Adele ushered him inside, tucking her hair behind her ears, still smiling a little too wide. Something was definitely different with her. Ethan followed her into her room, a feeling of unease tightening in his chest. Adele was the first girl he had kissed—ever. It had been spur of the moment, why not, but still, that part of him would always be hers. Her actions now, though, were telling him otherwise. Something had happened with her.

She turned back to face him, pulling her robe closer to her skin. "So what's up?"

"Well…" Ethan handed her the box without any added flair. "Uh, you know the Convicting is the day after tomorrow."

"Ugh, how could I forget?" Adele plopped down on her bed, and crossed her legs. "I still don't understand why we're doing it. For once I agree with Ebony. It's so unfair. They're just-"

"Rebels?" Ethan cleared his throat meaningfully, and raised his eyebrows. He didn't always agree with how his father handled them, but the rebels were rebels.

"With a cause. And there are some who aren't rebels, but they don't agree with the current monarchy."  
Ethan snapped a little. "So what about you? Do you agree? Or do you want us gone? I'm part of the current monarchy, Adele."

"I know." She said quickly, refusing to meet his eyes. "Sorry. I'm just making excuses now. Despite all this confidence you see, I really don't want to do this. It doesn't seem right."  
Ethan sighed, and nodded to the box. Gracie hadn't been this difficult. "Well, open it. It's tradition, to give to the girls to wear in the Convicting." He swallowed nervously, hoping she would like it.

"Oh." Adele opened the lid of the velvet box, her voice softening. Like Gracie, she gasped, and covered her mouth when she saw them. "I—I don't know what to say." She stammered, her eyes filling. "I can't believe you would give me these!" the end came out as a whisper. She bit her lip, and took a deep, about-to-cry breath. "I've never had anything so beautiful."

She lifted out the jewelry, her earlier resentment and nervous awkwardness gone, replaced by happy, awed, and tearful smiles. A dangling set of tiny platinum diamonds set around a larger one on gold, matching a simple ring, with a gold setting and rosy diamond. It was simple, for good reason. The necklace was quite a statement, he knew that much. A scrollwork of gold and silver peppered with tiny diamonds formed a choker, before flowing out into a sort of necklace, almost reminding him of a piece of armor or something.

"Thank you." She whispered. "I suddenly remembered where I came from." A certain sadness pervaded her voice. Their eyes met and she quickly looked away, almost startled. She offered a smile, back to nervous awkwardness. "Thanks, Ethan. I love them."

"I'm glad." Ethan shoved his hands into his pockets. "Well, I should be going."

Adele nodded. "Goodnight. And I'm sorry."

"For what?"

Adele shook her head. "Never mind. Goodnight."

Ethan frowned, deciding not to interfere. After a moment's hesitation, he bent over and kissed her cheek. She smiled, and blushed, and refused to meet his eyes. "Goodnight."

…

Nicole was next. Ethan probably felt more nervous than for Adele and Gracie as he approached her room. He knew Gracie, he knew Adele. He knew where he stood with Gracie, and he at least thought he did with Adele. Nicole, he didn't know if she liked him or was completely repulsed by him. He had chosen something for her, hoping she would like it. It was pretty dramatic, but he thought it would go with her eyes.

He knocked carefully, half hoping a maid would answer instead of her. However, it was not to be. Nicole opened the door after a moment, looking disgruntled at being interrupted.

Her hair was still curled from the day, although it was messy. Her cheeks were flushed, and her face was damp with exertion. She wore a flowy day dress that she had been wearing earlier. On her feet were her funny little ballet slippers. Obviously she had been practicing.

"Good evening…?" She offered after a moment.

Ethan shook himself, realizing he had been staring. "Sorry. Hi. Sorry to bother you." He stammered.

Nicole smiled hesitantly. "Oh, it's no problem." They hadn't spoken much, since her yelling at him in the gardens, and then the photographers asking him to kiss her during the wedding gown shoot. He had given her a hug after the parade mishap, and she had relaxed, but no words had been exchanged.

"Uh, so how's the ballet stuff going?"

Nicole shrugged. "I don't know. I don't know if I can ever be good enough to be a professional. I didn't have the right training ever."

"Oh. I'm sorry." For some reason, the statement made Ethan hopeful.

"Well, come on in, if you're going to give me a present." She opened the door wider.

"How did you know?"

Nicole smirked. "You're holding it." She turned her back to him and walked back into her room, and sat down in her desk chair, and pulled one foot on her lap and began unlacing her slipper.

"Oh." He cleared his throat. "Well I'm giving them to all the girls. It's for the Convicting. It's tradition. To wear them." He managed to string some semblance of a sentence together. "Jewelry." He added, holding out the box.

Nicole lowered her now bare foot, and took it. She gave him a queer look before opening the lid. "The last time I talked to you we yelled at each other, then you kissed me, and now you're giving me jewelry?"

He shrugged, not knowing what to say. She looked down, and sucked in a breath. Girls seemed to do that when seeing jewelry, he noticed.

Silent, she traced her fingers over the set. Like Nat's, he had given her earrings, a necklace and a bracelet. She laid them out on her lap, with quiet gasps of wonderment. They had been agonized over, and he was overly relieved she liked them. The earrings were hanging, starting with a silvery diamond, a small pale sapphire, and then a larger sapphire. The necklace was also silver, with a delicate filigree of silver and tiny diamonds, interspersed by five larger light blue sapphires hanging below her collarbone. She seemed to exclaim over the bracelet the most. It was a flowing vine with flowers, made of the same silver, tiny diamonds, and tiny pale sapphires, which surrounded the flowering vine.

"I'm guessing you forgive me for being a jerk." She said after a moment.

"I guess you could say that. I hope you still don't hate me. Or hate it here."

"No…I don't mind too much." She smirked. "It's not like I could really have a real future in ballet like I thought. I might as well stick around for now." She shrugged. "However, you kissing me I'm still a little mad. It caught me off guard!"

"The photographers made me!" Ethan protested, feeling some of the tension in the room dissipate.

Nicole laughed lightly. "I'm kidding. It was nice…" She stood up suddenly. "Well, you better be off. I bet you've got lots of other girls to spoil, and I'm exhausted."

They stood awkwardly for a moment. Then, Ethan took her hand, kissed it without a word, and went to the door. "Goodnight."

…

**I meant to have all the gifting in one chapter, but I haven't updated in a while and that first part with Katherine's POV sort of needed to be written. In case you didn't recognize it, a lot of the dialogue explaining the Convicting was taken from the book, because I'm lazy. The four others will be next chapter, and maybe something else depending how long they go! **

**Jewel sets on Pinterest for these three! I have all the gowns and jewelry for the Convicting, but some of you have pinned hairstyles, makeup, and shoes for your characters, so if anyone wants to do that for the twins and their characters or anyone else, go ahead! I'm not going to do it, but it you want to, I'll pin it! **

**Thanks so much! I'll try to write more, but I have work now and it's crazy! Please review!**

**-Shades**


	86. Each Night As I Dream of You

**The Story: Outlander. I don't even know what to say now, because it's so good (Although not recommended for my younger readers! I had to fast forward through a lot when I watched the show and skip parts in the book!) I was going to write something about Dancing with the Stars but I'm really attached to all the remaining contestants and I'm too scared to watch yesterday's episode. **

**But thanks to all my faithful lovely amazing talented and FABULOUS followers! Thanks to everyone who helped me out with all the jewelry and other Convicting stuff on Pinterest! I didn't use everything, but it definitely was inspiring! Also, to my reviewers: **XOStarbrightXO, UltimateMaxmericaShipper (**extra hugs, embrace the period :P), **majestictales, THEselectionisLIFE, LadyAnj, Nameless, delovlies, the5SOS-YAfangirl (**SAME TEAM ALEC), and **Deeptha13**!**

…

As Ethan let Nicole's room, he was greeted with feelings of confusion. He wasn't sure if Nicole liked him or hated him, and he wasn't sure if he liked her not. He either felt incredibly angry or incredibly confused or incredibly….something in her presence.

He shook off the feelings, because there were still four girls he needed to speak with, continuing with Sirena. She opened her door at his knock, still dressed for dinner, in a stunning fitted black satin gown. Her bright red hair, which had been piled high earlier in the evening, was loose and tumbling around her shoulders. It framed her face softly, and as usual, she was stunning.

Like giving it to her, her jewelry had been easy to pick out. She would be happy with anything, as long as it wasn't simple. That was one of his favorite things about her. She was so easy to talk to, and she didn't need to impress anyone—she already impressed enough. She didn't care what other people thought about her, and in turn, she didn't judge you in return.

"Hi, Ethan!" She said brightly. "What brings you here?" She had a habit of standing closer to you than necessary, and he didn't know whether to be uncomfortable or intrigued.

"Uh, some night time gift giving?" He held out the box.

Hand on her hip, Sirena cocked an eyebrow. "Oh? Is it in here?" She plucked the box from his hand and flounced into her room. Ethan followed her after a pause. She fumbled with the lid, and then lifted it with a loud exclamation.

"Oh. My. Goodness!" She shrieked. "I love them!" The necklace was dramatic, a long of blood-red rubies woven with diamonds on gold. It might clash with her hair, but if anyone could pull it off, she could. "What's the occasion?" She asked, holding it up to her neck.

"The Convicting." Ethan moved to help her with the clasp, suddenly remembering the night she had accosted him in the hallway and kissed him. It hadn't been her best moment but it had definitely been enjoyable. He didn't know if she was the one for him, but since Gracie had ended his no-kissing rule anyway…

"All this for one little ceremony?" Sirena slipped on the bangle bracelet cuff, more rubies, gold, and diamonds. A little gaudy, but he didn't think she would mind. "One would think we're throwing another ball."

"Well, it's a tradition. And the Convicting is more of a big ceremony."

"I still don't understand all that nonsense with the rebels." She met his eyes. "Or what your mother got in a tiff about."

"She was just holding the traditions of the land. It's very important to my father, and also to her that we are picture perfect and everyone follows the rules. No exceptions." Ethan explained, looking away. That wasn't how things should be and he knew it.

"So we're not sending men to their deaths, are we?"

"No. It's supposed to be their punishment. Rebellion is supposed to warrant such a punishment, but you'll be sending them to life in prison."

"Oh. Well seems fair enough." Sirena shrugged, and opened the small box that was within the larger one. Ethan tensed, hoping her reaction wouldn't be the same as Gracie's. After all, it did contain a ring.

She gave him a funny look. "What? You look like I'm about to shoot you or something." She tried on the ring on her middle finger of the left hand. "I love it." It was rather simple, a large, statement ruby on a gold setting. "It works perfectly with the larger pieces."

"Good. I'm glad you like them." Ethan let himself relax a little. No accidental interpretations of marriage with this girl.

"Of course I like them. You gave them to me." She found his eyes, and reached for his hand. The tension sprang back up. Girls making advances was never his strong point. Sirena seemed to sense this, and bit her lip, releasing her grip on his hand.

Ethan felt his forehead break into a sweat, torn between seeing where this encounter would lead them and running away as fast as he could. He swallowed, and forced himself not to stuff his hands in his pockets. It would be nice to kiss her…just to make sure he hadn't missed anything between them. He coughed awkwardly, and stepped closer. He leaned towards her, hesitating.

"Uh-" Not knowing quite what else to say, he stopped, but thankfully, Sirena made up for his awkwardness, yanking his face down to hers by his shirt collar. Their lips met, and Ethan closed his eyes, one hand institutively cupping her cheek, the other resting on her shoulder. She put her hands on his shoulders, pressing her body against his chest.

After a moment, she slowly pulled back, her gaze boring into his. For once, she looked naïve, and young. For the whole course of the Selection, Sirena had always had a mature look to her. Now, as her gaze rested on him, he sensed a much more girlishness to her. For a moment, he was unable to break eye contact.

"Uh, I'd best be going." He managed.

Sirena shook herself. "Oh, right. Yeah, sorry. Thanks for the jewelry. And for everything."

…

Ethan was half-considering going back to his room and finishing in the morning. He was only just a guy, after all, and it took him some time to regain his composure before moving onto the three girls. Even though Katherine's room was next down the hall, he decided to go to Nat next. Things wouldn't be so complicated with her.

For several minutes, his knocking went unanswered. Her maids must have been dismissed by now, it was getting late. Finally, he tried the doorknob, finding it unlocked. He pushed the door open, and stepped in her room, only to find it deserted. For a second, he panicked, only to spot her balcony door open, and a shadowy figure leaning against the railing, still dressed in the dove gray gown she had worn at dinner.

"Nat?" He called softly. She jumped, and whirled around with a small cry of surprise.

"Oh. Ethan. You startled me." She smiled apologetically, and he noticed signs of sleeplessness about her. Dark shadows were under eyes and she held herself up limply, like she was exhausted.

"Sorry. Did you hear me knocking?"

"No. I was sort of zoning out." She stepped into her room, and closed the balcony door behind her, and rubbed at her eyes, resulting in smudged makeup. She seemed skittish and nervous, like she had a secret she was dying to tell him. They stood in an awkward silence, something that usually didn't stem from their friendship.

"Well, you're probably wondering why I'm here?"

A look of surprise and then fear crossed her face. "Why?"

Ethan hesitated, wondering at her reaction.

"You're sending me home?" She interrupted his thoughts. "Please Ethan, not yet! I'm sorry! I promised….I need to-"

"Hey, slow down!" Ethan put his hand on her arm, and she flinched, now silent. "I'm not sending you home."

"You're not?" Her voice sounded childlike. "Oh."

For once, he had embarrassed Nat Rosalyn. Before asking about the things she had blurted out, he realized he needed to calm her down. "Why would I be sending you home? You're practically my closest friend."

"I—I don't know." She stammered. "Just the way you said it. You scared me."

"You really want to stay that bad?" It was not the right question to ask. Nat looked away, hurt.

"I thought you wanted me to stay." She said after a moment. "And I don't want to go home right now. I'll just….just be waiting for, I don't know, something to happen." Her voice was soft and strange.

"I do. Things aren't getting any easier for me. How am I ever going to choose the right girl?" His confused thoughts got the best of him and he slumped against the wall, distraught. Now they all seemed like the right one.

"I can't make that choice for you. But I can help you."

Not knowing what else to say, Ethan handed her the box of jewels. "Here. These are for you to wear at the Convicting. You all get them."

"This must be why you came." She self-consciously smoothed her hair, and took the box

"Yeah."

She opened it, and shrieked, and sat down on her bed in surprise. At least part of the old Nat was back. She dug into the tissue paper excitedly, lifting out the items, and he sat next to her.

Like Nicole, had chosen to give her a necklace, bracelet, and earrings, although they were completely different. After conferring with her maids, he had settled on rose gold. The bracelet sported the pinkish hue, set with alternating large and smaller diamonds, almost like a charm bracelet. The earrings were similar, with a smaller diamond on a rose gold setting followed by a larger, hanging one. The necklace was composed the same rose gold, patterned after a twining vine, and ending with a large crystal at the hollow of her throat.

"I can't believe you're giving these to me." She shook her head in wonderment, tracing the lines of the necklace.

"You deserve them. For one, you're still here. And you're helping me out a ton. And you're a great friend, and a great person."

Nat smiled, almost sadly. "Ethan?" She said, not looking up.

"What?"  
"I need to tell you something." She kept her eyes on her lap.

"Okay…"

For at least a minute, Nat sat there, fingers nervously fiddling with the jewels. "I….I've been…and I didn't…" She trailed off, not making any sense. With a deep breath, she looked at him, and then smiled warmly. "Never mind. I love the jewelry. Thank you."

Deciding not to press her for anything else, he kissed her chastely on the forehead. "Good. I'll see you tomorrow."

…

It was quite late, Ethan realized, as he left Nat's room. He wasn't sure what she had to tell him was important or not, but he didn't want to upset her any more than he already had, and she had said never mind….

He sighed, and took the last two boxes from the maids that had been helping him and sent them off for the night. He went down the hall to Katherine's room, in much need of her calming presence.

He knocked on her door, and it was opened by one of the maids. She dropped into a curtsey, murmuring her courtesies.

"Lady Katherine, Prince Ethan is here." She said, very formally, probably much more than she did when just with Katherine.

Katherine had been sitting at her vanity table, dressed in a long cream colored lace gown, reminding him of something you'd see her wear at Trentworth. She stood up, a smile lighting up her features. "Ethan!" She said, a happy note in her voice. "Hi."

Her maids quickly let themselves out as she nodded at them. She reached up to smooth her hair out of her eyes, and his eyes caught on that bracelet she always wore. He had plumb forgotten about it, since she always wore it. Just a simple, thin gold chain, with two tiny gold bird charms. He hoped she would like what she had picked out.

"What brings you here?"

On an impulse, he stepped closer, and lowered his lips to hers to kiss her for a long moment. It caught her by surprise, and she made a tiny noise of surprise, and then relaxed, her hand going to the crook of his arm. He only pulled back, remembering all the other girls he had kissed tonight…

"Awful late just for that!" She exclaimed, her cheeks still flushed, and he forgot.

"Oh, c'mon, Kate. Maybe I just wanted to see you." He teased. "Actually, I brought these for you." Ethan held out the box. "For you to wear to the Convicting."

An adorable gasp escaped her, and she took it reverently, before looking up at him. "Surely not just for me?"  
"Well, the other girls get them too. It's a tradition."

She grinned, and then dug into the box. "How gorgeous!" She cried, taking out the first item, a tiara like Gracie's. It was gold, though, and a subtle leaf pattern. "It's so lovely!" She kept saying things like that, beaming brightly, exclaiming over every little detail she noticed.

Next was the necklace. He had taken inspiration from her bracelet, and chosen a thin, gold chain, with three miniature crystals the size of raindrops, and a tiny golden bird shape. Compared to the other girl's necklaces, it was extremely understated. But coupled with her tiara and the bracelet she always wore, it seemed to fit. Katherine was silent when she saw it. With shaking hands, she lifted it out, and looked up to meet his eyes.

"It's perfect." She whispered. "My bracelet…" Tears filled her eyes as she held the necklace over her wrist to compare the two. Then she hugged him with an adorable sound between a cry and a gasp. Ethan knew that the bracelet had been a present from her sister, who had been killed in a plane crash, and giving her the necklace so similar would mean a lot to her.

After a moment, she regained her composure, and opened the last box. It contained a ring, with a flowery golden band set with a diamond, set around a bud of gold, like a jeweled rose. She gave him a look out of the corner of her eye, blushing again. Ethan could tell she knew the real purpose of the ring was not to propose marriage, but it was still hard not to think of it all.

She put the ring on, admiring it. "They're so beautiful. I don't understand why we have to look so beautiful for such a thing."

"What do you mean?"  
Katherine shrugged, shrinking within herself. "I don't think any of us feel right about the Convicting. I know it's not us specifically, but sending a man to life in prison? I just don't feel good doing it."  
"It's a sign of your devotion to the law of the land. And qualifies you to do be in line for queen." He added.

"I know. I just wish there was another way." She folded her hands in her lap.

"I guess so. It's another one of those stupid traditions of Illea. Like the Selection." He joked.

Katherine didn't seem to appreciate. Instead a look of hurt flashed across her face. "I didn't know you thought it was that bad." Her voice was flat.

"I was just kidding, Kate." He touched her shoulder, and she didn't respond.

"I always thought there was something really romantic and fairy tale like about it." She muttered. "I thought most men would would enjoy thirty five girls fawning over them."

"I'm just having a hard time making a choice. I only need one. Sorry."

"Oh." Her voice was sad. "Well, I imagine you enjoy kissing all of us."

"Kate-"

"I know you've been kissing other girls, Ethan. You don't have to pretend it's just me. Because it's not, is it."

"I don't know."

"What do you mean, you don't remember?" Her voice was harsher than he'd ever heard it, and he didn't like it. "Your lips just slip on accident?"

"I don't know if it is just you. Not just kissing but…" He shrugged.

Katherine turned away from him. "Well, thank you for the jewelry. It's very beautiful."

"I can't wait to see you wear them."

She laughed bitterly. "I bet you've said that to every girl."

"Okay, what's with you all the sudden?" He didn't meant to yell, but that's how it came out. "You were perfectly happy kissing me earlier."

"Sorry." She was now more hurt than mad. "It's just hard. I like to pretend I'm the only one, but I know it's not true. And it won't ever be."

Ethan didn't know what to say. She was half-right.

"I'll see you tomorrow." She said dismissively over her shoulder. "Goodnight."

He had just been dismissed from his own palace. Bowing courteously to her turned back, he left.

…

Ebony was last. And Ethan couldn't help but feel relieved to see her. Maybe he would try to kiss her tonight, since he was basically kissing everyone else like Katherine had said…

He had to catch his breath when she opened the door. Her maids were in her room, but she had still answered the door. Dressed in a knee length filmy white gown, she looked totally different than in the dark gowns she usually wore, hair loose instead of pinned up. Ebony was a stunning girl, and even at this late hour, it was no exception.

Instead of saying anything, she just smiled, almost cat-like, waiting for him to say something.

"I have something for you." He managed.

She quirked an eyebrow. "Oh? Do come in then." She opened the door wider, motioning for him to enter. Her maids curtsied to him.

"We'll leave you two alone, Lady Ebony." One of them said.

"Alright." She shrugged. They filed out, and she closed the door purposely behind them. "I don't understand why they're my maids. I get along better with them then the other girls." She commented, her bright brown eyes studying him carefully. She was observant like that. Her eyes went to the box in his hands, but she said nothing.

"Well, you come from similar backgrounds."

"Is that supposed to mean something?" She challenged, almost flirtatiously. "I think growing up in sunny Angeles is easier than in Yukon, though." Her expresso colored hair fell in front of her face, and she brushed it back, drawing his eyes to her elegant neck.

"Not really, no."

"I suppose you think I'm terrible, not being in the rest of the clique. But girls can be catty. Especially Twos and Threes."

Ethan paused. Sirena was a Two, Gracie was a Three, Katherine, Nicole, and Nat were Fours. Adele was a Five. It was hard to remember that sometimes.

"I don't blame you." _Women confuse me too._

"So what brings you here?" She brushed up against his arm, running her hand over his shoulders as she sauntered around behind him to his other side. He found himself captivated by her mouth. Shaking himself, he held out the box.

"This. I saved you for last. It's to wear in the Convicting."

"Oh, if I hear one more word about that thing, I'm going to scream." Ebony's demeanor changed dramatically. "How can you even consider doing it? It's horrible, sending a man to prison the rest of his life because-"

"I thought you said the rebels ruined your life." Ethan interrupted. "Taking over Yukon."

"They did. But your father should have done something to stop it. It's just as bad." Her glare went icy. "It's not something I want to do. But I guess I have to. I just hope things change around here-soon." She flipped open the box, and her gaze softened. The corners of her mouth twitched up.

"I—I…" She began. Did giving jewelry to women always make them do that? "I can't believe you're giving this to me." She sat down in her desk chair.

It was a set of earrings, a necklace, and a ring. The earrings were hanging, suspended on the ear lobe with a sapphire, and then a circle of gold filigree. The necklace was also golden filigree, meant to be worn close to the throat, almost like a choker. The ring was set in gold, with a silvery wire wrapping around it, and tiny crystal diamond. Ebony coupled the items in her lap, and then tried them all one with girlish enthusiasm, reminding him almost of Gracie, in a way.

"Well, I must admit, I'll look good being a terrible person." She blurted out, her voice catching. She began to smile, but stopped suddenly, and looked up at him sharply, as if realizing something.

And then she began to cry.

For a moment, Ethan had no idea what was happening. Ebony Winters didn't cry. Ever.

The girl who seemed unbreakable _broke. _The girl who was always cool _cried. _The girl with so many secrets finally let them get the best of her. She dropped the smile, and tears mingled with her mascara as they made her way to her cheeks. She buried her face in her hands.

"I can't do this." He thought he heard her say.

He awoke from the shock, and knelt in front of her, reaching for her hand. "Are you okay, Ebony?"

"No. No Ethan, I'm not." Her voice was strained and strangled on a sob. "You don't know what it's like is. If you did you would understand. You haven't seen what I've seen." She stopped, taking a gasping breath, and letting out another shoulder wracking sob.

"What are you talking about?"

She didn't answer.

"Ebony, I know you've seen things. Things that no one should have to experience. Life in Yukon must have been terrible for you. But running away from your past is a race you'll never win."

She jerked her hand away. "What did you say?"  
"I said running away-"

"I heard you the first time" She whispered. She wiped her eyes deftly, apparently done crying. "You have no idea what it was like. You've always lived in this fancy place, and never had to worry about anything. Don't pretend to know because you don't. I-"

He couldn't help himself this time. He silenced her with a kiss, cutting off her rant. She stiffened in surprise, and then yielded her lips to him, but pulled away after a moment, her face scarlet. He didn't think she would be one to be embarrassed by it.

"I think you better go." She said in a halting voice. But it wasn't angry in the least bit anymore.

Ethan smiled stupidly at her. "Goodnight."

…

***Collapses on the floor* Well, hope you enjoyed this! I know it's repetitive, but I think all the girls needed some clarification on characterization, so it took a while to write it all, plus Ethan because he's awks. **

**Jewelry should be on Pinterest! Thanks to all those who helped out with it! Next chapter will be the Convicting! Enjoy yourselves this week, my friends! **

**-Shades**


	87. Couldn't Get To You

**The Story: When you have to become a barista and make coffee even though coffee is the most disgusting thing ever but it's okay because you got to see Newsies again AND YOU MANAGED TO BE SEMI-COOL AND STAGE DOOR. **

**Sorry this took forever! Despite planning this forever in my head, when it came down to actually writing it, the words wouldn't come! I'm still not happy with it, but oh well…**

**Thanks to my loves who stick it out with me and review and Pinterest spam me I LOVE YOU! **Fairy not princess, delovlies, the5SOS-YAfangirl, THESelectionIsLIFE, UltimateMaxmericaShipper, Lizcran, 4Love4Love4, XOStarnrightXO, **and **Deeptha13**!**

**Outfits on Pinterest!**

…

"Ladies and gentlemen of Illéa, today the remaining seven beautiful young women of the Selection come before us all to present themselves to the law. Our great laws are what hold our nation together, the foundation for the peace we've so long enjoyed. One of these young ladies will stand before you soon, no longer a commoner, but a princess. And as a member of the royal family, it will be her job to hold on to what is right, not for her own benefit, but for yours. Please join me in applauding their humility in their submission to the law and their bravery in upholding it."

King Jackson sat down in his throne, finishing his speech, his voice never loosing its pervading frostiness. Ethan frowned, hoping the people watching couldn't sense the coldness. The royal family was centered on the side of the Great Room, seated in front of the windows, now covered with heavy ivory curtains. The king and queen sat in the front, with Ethan slightly behind them in the middle. The other four sat behind them. No one had exaggerated, telling of the grandness of the event. The king and the three princes were dressed in full military dress uniforms, and the queen and Princess Michelle and Princess Christine wore extraordinary gowns of white and gold, their tiaras sparkling.

As the crowd applauded, the music began, and the wide double doors were swept open, revealing the seven Elite, who had been watching from a screen outside. The order was random, but it was led by Sirena.

She wore a slightly less traditional gown, with a dramatic cut. It was fitted tightly over her hips, before flaring out in ruffles at her thighs. The top part hugged her curves like a glove, white, of course, with gold embroidering. Similarly, her cape was white, with the same golden embroidery. Although it was tradition to wear one's hair up, she had insisted on wearing hers down. It framed her face, and offset the blood-red jewels Ethan had given her.

Gracie was next, fingering the folds of her gown nervously. With elbow-length sheer, gold encrusted sleeves, which extended to the bodice and over the tiered tulle skirt, and a sweetheart neckline, it embodied all of her nature. Paired with the silver and pearl jewelry she wore, it was lovely. Her blonde curls were swept back into a chignon at the back of her head. Her cape was sheer, covered with the same gold beading as her sleeves.

After Gracie walked Nicole, outfitted in a fantastic creation, with a full white shirt, and a gold belt, and a strapless bodice, festooned with bits of gold here and there. The sleeves and a back were created from invisible gauze, with gold detailing. A white veil-like cape fell over her shoulders, and her light blue gems sparkled on her throat.

Adele was behind her, in another less-than-traditional dress, with long lace sleeves, fitted close around her legs, and a low-dipping neckline. It was mostly white, but shimmered with hints of glittering gold, providing the perfect backdrop for her dramatic platinum and gold jewelry, as well as the all-gold, heavy satin cape.

Katherine looked like a queen, despite the simplicity of her gown. Also with long sleeves, the A-line gown was made of soft gold and cream lace, with a daring (for her) cut—out back, and a sweetheart neckline. Her cape was also lace, in a rich ivory. Unlike the other girls, besides her tiara, ring, and chain necklace, she also wore the chain bracelet she always wore.

Nat's cape was made out of shiny rose-gold tulle, matching her jewelry, over her dress. With elbow-length sleeves, and heavy white silk, the bodice and skirt glittered with gold mica beading which became more subtle towards the skirt. Her hair was pulled back into a simple French braid, and pinned into a bun.

Ebony's eyes were dramatic, with her sparkling bronze eyeshadow. Her dress was pretty restrained for her usual tastes, but with her gold jewelry with the little pops of sapphire, it worked. The top part of the dress was simple, with sleeve straps, encrusted with gold. The skirt flowed out in white crepe. Her cape was all-white, with gold on shoulders.

Ethan could barely take his eyes off of them. Now all they had to do was the hard part.

…

Sirena had never been one for understanding all the subtitles of the whole situation with the rebellion, and didn't know if this was the right thing to do or not. Still, as she caught Ethan's eyes on her, she managed a slight smile, appropriate for the occasion and began her descent down the aisle of chairs, filled with all sorts of important people. Guards in their bright red uniforms lined the walls, staring straight out. Sirena focused on her destination, the king's throne, where she would offer him the olive branch they all carried.

The other girls followed her down, and one by one, they took their seats in the not-quite thrones on individual raised platforms. The music stopped at the perfect time, and for a moment, all there could be heard was utter silence. Then the doors boomed open again, revealing an older man, his arms held by two guards. He wore a heavy brown jacket, Sirena noticed, better suited for the weather of Yukon. A heavy beard covered his chin and upper lip but he had a certain stately bearing.

The captain of the guard, who stood by them, announced him.

"We call into the presence of His Majesty King Jackson, Her Majesty Queen Francesca, and the Lady Sirena Mastrano, the rebel Richard Shields."

Sirena shivered at the sound of her name, and the look plastered on her by the rebel. A heavy sense of duty filled her heart, like the weight of the cape on her shoulders. Was she doing the right thing. She stole a look at the other girls, but they were all watching her with apprehension filled stares.

The two guards led the handcuffed man towards her, and she remembered to stand. He clumsily bowed, and Sirena swallowed hard.

"What is your crime, Richard?" Her voice rang out in the stillness of the room.

The tall man cleared his throat. "Rebellion, Lady." He mumbled, clearly wanting to say more. "Or so I've been told."

One of the guards jerked his arm, already twisted behind his back, and he grunted in pain.

"And how what is your sentence for this crime?"

"Death." He didn't say anything else, and the guard jerked his arm again. "Lady Sirena." He added.

Sirena walked down the tiny set of stairs to where they stood, and put her hand on the man's shoulder.

"For your crimes, Richard Shields, I sentence you to life in prison, not death. Go, faithful subject, and pay your debt to the king."

It was supposed to be an act of mercy. But to the rebel, it didn't seem that way. He glared at her, and then was led back out of the room.

She had done it.

…

The moment Sirena sealed their fate was when she asked the first question. Gracie suddenly realized she would have to send a man to prison for life too.

_But he deserves it, right? _

All was silent as the man Sirena had Convicted was ushered out. Everyone waited in hushed silence and Gracie felt the nerves build in her stomach as nothing happened. She looked at Ethan, and he nodded reassuringly at her. She smiled back slightly, but was startled as the doors boomed open, revealing the two guards on either side of her victim.

""We call into the presence of His Majesty King Jackson, Her Majesty Queen Francesca, and the Lady Gracelyn Luna, the rebel Francis Solder."

He was older than them, but younger than the man Sirena had Convicted, maybe in his late twenties. With light brown hair and pale eyes, he looked quite alarmed. He pulled against his restrainers as they led him forcibly down towards her. His bearing struck her as almost haughty, and quite offended by his rough treatment,

As they pulled him to a stop in front of her, he looked at both of them, and then reluctantly executed a courtly bow, refusing to look at her.

Gracie swallowed hard. The rebel kept his eyes on the ground, his jaw clenched tight. He stood straight and tall, but she noticed his bound hands shaking.

"What is your crime, Francis?" Her voice sounded so puny and girlish compared to Sirena's. She cleared her throat.

The rebel looked at her for the first time, his pale gray eyes drilling into hers.

"Rebellion, Lady Gracelyn." His voice was barely a whisper. He shot a glance at the king, and then pierced her stare.

"A-and what is your sentence for this crime?"

He was quiet. He looked away, and in a slightly louder voice spoke. "Death."

On shaky legs, she remembered to stand and walk down to him. She put her hand on his shoulder and he flinched. Gracie knew exactly what to say next. She could hear herself saying it. But it was going to be hard. This was it. She was about to change a man's life—and not for the better.

"For your crimes, Francis Solder, I sentence you to life in prison, not death. Go, faithful subject, and pay your debt to the king." Her voice was too quiet and shaky. Not the voice of a queen.

But it didn't matter. She had done it, and now nothing could stand in her way to marry the love of her life.

…

Nicole felt terrible, being half relieved that she was randomly after Gracie. Sirena had delivered her lines like a queen would. Gracie had not. She had delivered them like she would. Nicole knew she couldn't be as good as Sirena, and she would probably end up sounding just like Gracie but frostier, and well…

As the guards led away the second man, everyone filling the chairs were silent. Important people, she had been told. Dignitaries, legislators, chancellors, magistrates and law makers, not to mention nearly three-fourths of the guards, and the royal family.

As the Great Room settled into silence between Convictions, Nicole's eyes chanced across one of the guards. He seemed strangely familiar. She didn't have time to dwell on it, though, because the doors opened again.

"We call into the presence of His Majesty King Jackson, Her Majesty Queen Francesca, and the Lady Nicole Rosalyn, the rebel Thomas Fraser." The captain of the guard boomed.

The guards led the man—no, boy—forward. At this point, they were basically dragging him. He was bleeding from a gash in his forehead, and dried blood was caked on the side of his face. He stared at her in half-shock, a dark shock of hair falling over one eye. He was scarcely older than they were, and Nicole felt sick to her stomach.

She didn't have to do this. She could refuse and not think about what was right or wrong. She could go home, and blame this all on not wanting to tell a man his life was basically over, he would live out his days in a so-called act of mercy in a jail sell for taking action over what he thought was right.

She looked at Ethan. He was actually nervous, his eyes focused on her.

She couldn't. Right or wrong, this was being asked of her. And unlike some of the other girls, she had never been one for opinions.

With a deep breath, she spoke up.

"Thomas, what is your crime?" Her voice was not very impressive, either.

He looked up at her, his mouth slightly ajar. He looked around at all the goings-on around him, and then back at her.

"I—I don't know." He stammered, his voice gravely, barely above a whisper. "But my dad-"

One of the guards interrupted. "It's rebellion, Lady Nicole."

"And what is your sentence for this crime?" She spoke quickly, but firmly. The kid looked to each of the guards.

"They say they're going to hang me." He whispered, looking at his toes, his body shuddering.

She made herself say the words.

"For your crimes, Thomas Fraser, I sentence you to life in prison, not death. Go, faithful subject, and pay your debt to the king."

He stared at her, mouth agape in disbelief. Then his bewildered expression turned to one of a trapped animal. He jerked one arm loose from the guard, and lunged toward her, before he was retrained again with a whack to the head with the butt of the other guard's gun.

"Is that what you call an act of mercy?" He cried. They hit him again, and he was silent.

They led him away, and Nicole knew that what she had just done wasn't right.

…

Adele licked her lips, trying to moisten her mouth to no avail. She was so nervous, and dying for a drink of water. Something didn't seem right. The guards led the third victim away, and the doors closed behind them ominously. Again, the silence that followed was unbearable.

She clasped her hands tight against her skirt, to hide them from shaking. Wasn't she just like them? Or at least, didn't she want to be?

The silence seemed to drag on forever. Then, some yelled from outside the doors, clearly audible in the stillness. The doors boomed open, and one of the guards yelled, and she watched the man between them—obviously struggling, stumble, clutching his stomach. He was hauled up by the collar of his ragged jacket, struggling to regain his footing. He swiped at his nose, and she saw blood.

And then he looked straight at her.

"We call into the presence of His Majesty King Jackson, Her Majesty Queen Francesca, and the Lady Adele Warren, the rebel Colin Evans."

She suspected that that was how it felt to stick your finger in an electrical outlet. Or be shot. Or struck by lightning. For a moment, she could only stand there. Colin looked up at her, as he was dragged towards her to be condemned to life in prison or death. His nose was bleeding, his lip was split, and one of his eyes was nearly swollen shut. His clothes were filthy and tattered, and he jerked against his restraints, which only resulted in his being hit more and more.

This couldn't be happening. This shouldn't be happening. He wasn't a rebel. And she loved him.

After a moment, she realized they had come to a stop in front of her, Colin's breathing angry as he fought against the guards. The silence was loaded.

Swallowing, she glanced around at her. The other girls were watching her expectantly. It seemed only Sirena knew who he was, and her face was pale. Ebony gave her sort of a nod, as if to say 'what are you waiting for?' She didn't dare look at Ethan. King Jackson cleared his throat meaningfully.

Adele looked back at Colin. She hated feeling like this, being so helpless and not knowing what to do. He stared up at her below her platform, eyes begging her not to do this.

She could scarcely believe her next words. "What is your crime?" Her voice was gravely, barely audible. It would be too hard to say his name.

Colin stared back at her in disbelief. He glanced at his guards, then spoke. "Believing in freedom." His arms, twisted behind his back, were jerked as he gave the incorrect response. "And falling in love." He added. The fierceness in his gaze made her stomach turn.

She couldn't move, couldn't think, and definitely couldn't speak.

"Rebellion, Lady Adele." The guard corrected, jerking Colin's arms

"And how long is your sentence?" She managed.

"Death. I've been sentenced to death because I have an idea-"

"Lady Adele, he was arrested for inciting a riot that could have very easily turned violent, and led to personal damages on the part of the royal family." The guard said sternly.

So it was true. After the speech during the parade, he had been arrested. It finally made sense why he never came to see her.

The room went back to silence, waiting for her. She rose to her feet, and walked down the steps, as she had been instructed. Colin watched her, staring up at her, his eyes steely. She stopped in front of him.

"Adele, don't do this." He whispered. "I'm not a rebel. You have to believe me." The guards yanked his arms forcibly once again.

_For your crimes, Colin Evans, I sentence you to life in prison, not death. Go, faithful subject, and pay your debt to the king._

It's what she should have said. But now was the time to speak up, and take a stand. It was time to stop standing in the shadows and take a leap of faith, no matter the consequences. She didn't have all the answers, but she did know the right one when she heard it. And she couldn't tell the man she loved to spend the rest of his life in jail and marry Ethan.

She walked past Colin, and stared straight at King Jackson.

"Your Majesty," She swallowed again. "This man is not a rebel."

There was an outbreak of murmurs through the audience, and Adele could feel her legs shaking. Ethan's eyes met hers, and she realized he knew. He looked away.

"And how do you know this, Lady Adele?" The king stood up, and she reflexively curtsied.

"If he's a rebel for wanting to give your subjects a voice and a better life, then the rebels want to destroy Illea. But if he's one, then that makes me one too."

Immediately, she heard a scuffle behind her, and turned. Colin fought against his restraints, and then two more guards took her by the arms.

"Adele, you can't." He pleaded. "She wasn't involved! She hasn't done anything."

The only mistake she had made was falling in love with him. But it wasn't something she was regretting.

He turned to the king. "Your Majesty, I meant no disrespect. I was just standing up for what I believed in."

King Jackson stood up, his face livid. "You were arrested for inciting a riot, spouting tyrannical statements against my rule."

"You don't know what it's like! Guys like you don't talk to nothings like us." His voice grew louder as the guards began to drag him away. He fought, still shouting. "We don't want to end the monarchy! We're not rebels, we're patriots!"

Colin still struggled as he was led away, Adele pushed past the guards, trying only to follow him. She didn't know what would happen, but it wasn't right to keep pretending. But this wasn't supposed to happen.

And then something that _definitely _wasn't supposed to happen began and everything erupted into chaos.

…

**Sorry not sorry.**

**Until next time! Please check out Pinterest for the gowns and thanks to everyone who helped out with that part of the chapter!**

**-Shades**


	88. As The World Falls Down

**The Story: When you're literally crying during Dancing with the Stars I need help. **

**My reviewers…no words to describe how much I appreciate you!To those marvelous peeps, a huge thank you! **Lizcran, fairy not princess, Deeptha13, the5SOS-YAfangirl, delovlies, LadyAnj, XOStarbrightXO, THEselectionIsLIFE, 4Love4Love4, **and my awesome new reviewer, **Dr. Skyhawk**! Thanks hun! Also to all the cool people that followed me recently, thanks! Leave a review! **

**This chapter and the next several are taking me a long time to write, because I really, really don't want to write them. Apologies in advance, I promise this isn't another joke! (Really!) Also, some of your reviewed with further thoughts about upcoming Convicting stuff, but that is basically over…uh, you'll see. Not my best work, but oh well, enjoy, I guess….**

…

And then something that definitely wasn't supposed to happen began and everything erupted into chaos.

As they practically were dragging Colin away, Adele was standing frozen, being held back by one of the many faceless guards from following them. But before they could get to the doors, they were thrown open with an ominous boom.

And this time, the rebels were on the other side. Mitch Levi stood there, and for a second, all Adele's brain focused on was how his filthy brown jacket and generally tattered clothes were so out of place in the gilded, perfect Great Room.

But it was the least of her worries. He was by no means alone, with not only the just Convicted men behind him, but at least ten more assumed rebels. It didn't seem like many, but they were sitting ducks packed in this big room. From what she could see, most of them had guns and wicked looking knives. There were shouts of orders from the higher ranking guards, and they all trained their own weapons on him, but no one fired. The room was full of civilians, not to mention the royal family, and if a gunfight began, it would be a massacre

The room went deadly silent. And that scared her more than anything. More than the devilish smirk Mitch sported, more than the guns, more than the look in his eyes. The feeling that no one was going to fight back.

"We're here for one of our own." He said, his voice casual, as if he were ordering food. He looked at Colin, still held back by the guards, and then his eyes briefly glanced over Adele.

"This man is a prisoner of the monarchy." One of the guards said.

"On the contrary, he has been arrested for rebellion, I think he belongs to us." Mitch shrugged, and Adele would have laughed with the ridiculousness of the argument if she wasn't so scared.

"I'm not a rebel. I don't want to destroy the country." Colin spat, no longer struggling. Maybe being held by the king's guards was the only thing keeping him alive or uncaptured now.

"Then why do we find you here, with some of our staunchest supporters?" Mitch's voice made her skin crawl.

"I'm no lover of the monarchy either."

"So that makes you a rebel. Hand him over." Mitch continually seemed slightly irritated, like he was waiting for his meal to be delivered at a restaurant, even though guns were pointed at him, and he was clearly outnumbered.

None of the guards moved. No one in the room did. It was a moment of stillness, the calm before the storm.

Because what happened next wasn't supposed to.

The captain of the guard, who stood closest to the doors through the whole ceremony, and had his gun trained on Mitch, turned and fired twice at the guards holding Colin. And then nearly half of the guards in the room lowered their weapons.

Mitch Levi smiled.

The Rebellion was far from over.

.

In the next moment, the room broke into chaos. People were suddenly screaming, suddenly realizing that half of the guards in the room were not actually the palace guards, and the rebels had once again invaded the palace. Some of the actual guards began firing, and then just as it wasn't supposed to, the rebels began firing back. Guards were yelling orders, and no one knew quite what to do.

Like a deer caught in the headlights, Adele froze, like the coward she was. Colin shook off the bodies of the dead guards, and grabbed one of their guns. He didn't have a chance to use it.

Mitch lunged towards him, favoring one leg slightly. In the midst of all the pandemonium, no one else seemed to notice.

"If you're not for us, you're against us. You know something." He yelled, circling Colin like a beast circling its prey, with his pistol drawn.

"Look, I swear, I'm not a rebel, but I wouldn't side with the king." Colin was starting to crack. Mitch pressed his pistol against Colin's forehead.

"You're a spy! Tell us what you know!"

Colin held up his hands in surrender, as Mitch pulled his head back by his hair. He kept his mouth closed tightly, silent in the chaos.

With a growl of frustration, he released his grip on Colin to punch him in the stomach, and then hit him in the head with the pistol. Colin fell to the ground, coughing, his head bleeding.

With a cry, Adele jumped forward. "No! Don't hurt him!" Too late. He looked up at her, his eyes glazed, blood dripping from his nose.

_Run. _He mouthed.

Mitch looked at her, confusion in his eyes, and then smiled wickedly. "Oh." He said knowingly. "A love interest for someone besides the prince. It is treason, that."

"He didn't do anything." She blurted out.

"He knows something." Mitch's eyes glinted, and then his body tensed. He kicked Colin violently in the ribs, yelling threats, causing him to curl tighter around his knees.

An involuntary sob burst out from her as she tried to stop him. She grabbed his arm, but he threw her off with such force she fell down next to Colin.

Mitch gave a barely perceptible nod, and then Adele felt her arms seized by someone else. They pulled her to her feet, but she kicked and thrashed, until her flailing feet ripped through the delicate silk of her Convicting dress.

"Let me go!" She demanded, all her bravado coming from years of acting and not anything real. "I didn't do-" A sharp blow on her cheek cut her words into a shriek. Ears ringing, she realized Mitch had hit her.

"Shut up!" He screamed in her face, and then aiming the pistol at Colin, held a knife to her throat. "I hate it when the girls get involved." He sighed, and looked to Colin. "Tell us what you know, or you'll both be killed. Her first." He demanded, jerking his head in Adele's direction.

Her eyes found Colin's and she stared at him, begging him to help her. But he couldn't, not without getting killed. She had to help herself.

It must have been something she had seen in a movie. She didn't quite know where it came from. She kicked the knees of whoever was restraining her, and then used his surprise to free her arm enough to elbow him somewhere in the neck. She missed and only clipped him in the chin, but it was enough. Colin seized the moment and his position on the ground to attempt to trip Mitch.

It didn't quite work, but he did stumble. Colin was suddenly on his feet, lunging towards the man who Adele was attempting to escape. He knocked both of them down and fell down too.

"Get up!" He yelled at her "Get out of here!"

She didn't have time to question it, she just rolled to her feet, and ran. She was a coward, to leave him alone with at least two men trying to kill him, but at least she was honest.

All around her, guns were going off. She was running towards to one of the doors leading to the gardens, and the windows were riddled with bullets, glass everywhere. But this one was different.

This one was meant for her.

She heard Colin shout her name.

And then white-hot pain hit her, and her legs gave way as the pain suddenly intensified to excruciating and she knew no more.

…

Memories.

It was all happening, over and over, just like a dream.

Except it wasn't. And this time it wasn't during the masquerade. It was happening again.

Ethan felt the terror enclose around him as the presumably still loyal guards were rushing them away, trying to get them out. There was a way to the safe rooms in the Great Room, if he remembered right.

He had seen men die before. This wasn't the first time he'd been a rebel attack. But not like this. He'd never seen men cut down right in front of him trying to get him and his family away. He'd never felt the terror of not being able to get away without being shot. Or of not knowing where the Selected were.

"Your highness, please come with us!" One of the still-loyal guards yelled, as Ethan tried to turn around to see where his girls were. The next second, the man was dead, riddled with bullets.

It could have been him. It could have been any of the girls.

Ethan didn't hesitate. He didn't run to the doors leading to the gardens, where everyone else was, to get away. He had seven girls he was responsible for now and one of them would be his wife.

He ran to their seats in the front of the room, hoping to find them all there.

There was only one, cowering behind one of the seats, trembling and trying really, really hard not to cry.

She screamed when he touched her shoulder, and then saw it was him and fell into his embrace, sobbing with fear.

"You were supposed to get out of here, Kate!" He murmured into her hair. The thrones they had been sitting on were large enough to hide them pretty much from the danger for now.

"I know."

"Where is everyone else?"

"I don't know, they all just were gone. Adele was already gone and they came to take us to the safe rooms and then they were just all gone!" Katherine barely made any sense, but he was just glad she was safe.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." She cried into his chest. "I had no right to yell at you like I did."  
"You had every right. I've been leading all of you on. I just don't know what to do anymore."

Katherine straightened her shoulders and lifted her head, wiping her eyes.

"Now isn't in the time to discuss that. It's not time to cry either. I'm sorry." She said bravely, and took a deep, shuddering breath. "What do we do?"

"We get to the safe rooms. Stay with me." He grabbed her hand, and they ran for dear life, trying to hide behind the pillars and the decorations from the Convicting. They weren't that far from the door leading out to the back hallway, the one the servants used, and the one leading to the safe room passage.

It was strangely silent as the doors closed behind them. There was a guard coming out of the entrance, and he looked to be loyal. He took them down to the passage without a word, and left quickly.

"Are we safe now?" Katherine asked as they took the winding stairs down and down, further and further.

"I don't know anymore."

The labyrinth below was silent as well when they reached it. The few inhabitants, random attenders from the Convicting who were important enough to be taken down here, the rest of the royal family, and a few servants, watched the massacre unfold on the screen in one of the control rooms.

"You'll be safe here." Ethan half-lied to Katherine, catching sight of Gracie and Nicole. They both seemed to relax (a little bit) upon seeing him. Impulsively he pulled all three of them into a joint hug, and let his shoulders droop with the release of tension. He looked for the others, but upon seeing his family, he stopped.

King Jackson stood there, a distant look in his eyes as he watched his country fall apart—and not for the first time. Queen Francesca, sitting on one of the chairs, her white and gold gown rumpled and for once, not perfect, and watched her husband realize what was happening.

Andrew held his wife's hand as they realized this was the country they were supposed to rule someday. Michelle hoped this wouldn't be the end of the only thing she had ever had to herself.

And Wesley looked away from the screens, holding an old wound on his side, and silent tears filled his eyes as he thought about the one girl he had been through with this and tried hard not to remember it and hoped he would live to see her again.

Ethan released his hug on the girls, and went to him. He sat down next to his younger brother, and after a moment, put his hand on his shoulder in a gesture of comfort.

"It's going to be okay, Wes." He murmured.

"But it's not, is it." Wesley didn't look at him. "And our lives won't be the same again."

"No, I don't suppose they will."

And Illea would never be the same. Ever.

…

**Ugh, this was not my best work. Despite having this thought out since summer, trying to write it was really hard for some reason. Also how is already December go away future decisions or at least snow pls.**

**-shades**


	89. If You've Ever Been My Friend

**The Story: The love we can feel for fictional characters is so powerful. And…well, you'll see where I'm going with this. But if you think about it, your favorites are your favorites USUALLY BECAUSE THEY DIE. **

**Thanks to those who don't hate me yet and reviewed last chapter—**LadyAnj, XOStarbrightXO, Deeptha13, majestictales (**huge shout out, hun, when you read this in 18 months! Miss you already!), **delovlies, the5SOS-YAfangirl, Lizcran, UltimateMaxmericaShipper,** and new reveiwers ** , **and **Demigod18**! **

**Yeah, this chapter was one of the hardest things I've ever written. It's pretty violent and rated higher than my normal chapters (no sex, just violence and adult themes) so reader discretion advised…**

…

The world was falling down.

And she could have stopped it. But she hadn't.

It all happened so fast, but she knew what it was. It was too late. Nat was too late. This was happening, and she could have stopped it.

In all the confusion and chaos, she just sat there, watching everything crumble around her. This was all her fault.

She barely noticed some of the other Selected girls whisked away, and before she knew it, she was the only one there. She hoped they were okay. From what Ben had said, Mitch didn't care if they lived or died. They wouldn't have the same protections they had had under his father. If her sister was killed, she would never forgive herself.

_I could have stopped this. _

_And I didn't. _

Someone grabbed her from behind, and she didn't even cry out. She deserved this. Better her than someone else.

"Why didn't you tell them? You were supposed to tell them!" He yelled at her.

It was Ben. Of course it was. Of course he would be here. He was a rebel.

_I couldn't. _

He grabbed her arm and hauled her up. "What are you doing? Run!"

"The safe rooms?" She sked dumbly.

"No, it's too late. Hopefully Mitch doesn't know how to get to them. I don't know. There are so many people on the inside. They could know anything." He put both of his hands on her shoulders, and shook her. "Just run. Don't look back. Okay?"

"Ben, I did this." She whispered tearfully. "I did this to them."

His eyes grew hard. "I did too. Now go."

"Not without you."

He didn't question her, just ran with her. They ran to the main doors, despite it being blocked by the rebels firing. No one questioned him as they escaped into the Main Hall. Compared to everything else, it was relatively empty. A few of the rebels who had been wounded by the actual guards had crawled out to take refuge. Nat spotted the man Nicole had Convicted, bleeding out from a gunshot wound. Ben didn't look at anyone, just roughened his grip on Nat, and dragged her along. She got the idea, and played along, trying to look like she was struggling.

Many of the rebels had chosen not to fight and were prowling the palace. Guns weren't the only danger. She spotted two maids, ones she recognized from serving meals, hiding in a corner, one crying, and holding ripped shreds of her dress, the other white faced, and attempting to comfort her.

They watched her go by, but they thought Ben was leading away for another reason, and they couldn't help her. As they passed the Woman's Room, a filthy rebel dragged another screaming, helpless maid inside, and slammed the door behind them. It was awful.

"If I would have told them, this wouldn't be happening." She said.

"I claim to not be a rebel, but I'm no better. I should have done something too." Ben released his hold on her, as no one was around. It was strangely deserted. "I'm taking you to the second floor. They shouldn't have a reason to go up there."

As they neared the doors leading to the garden at the other end of the Main Hall, Nat could see people, running through the gardens, trying to escape the massacre in the Great Room. This had all happened before. And she knew it would happen again. Some people had tried to come back inside, and they had been pursued. She heard no gun shots, but watched in horror as a rebel knifed one of the loyal guards. It was madness. There were only about ten or fifteen people, and they hadn't expected resistance, and now didn't know who had guns or not. They couldn't leave either.

She heard a familiar voice, but it was screaming, and for help. Her head snapped around, and in a tangle of red hair and white and gold silk, she saw Sirena attempting to fight off a man.

"Sirena!" She cried desperately. Her friend was kicking and biting, but to little avail. She broke away from Ben's pretend vice grip, hearing him shout for her to come back.

She ignored it, she would not let her friend get raped for something she could have stopped. She grabbed the man's arm, giving Sirena a moment to break free, but she tripped and fell backwards.

Now Nat was the target. The assaulter's hands went around her wrists, digging painfully.

But before he could do anything else, a gun went off, and his grip went slack. As he fell to the floor, a bullet in his head, she saw Ben holding his gun, the barrel smoking.

It was a bit like déjà vu, only now there were witnesses. The four other rebels who had been present had all seen what he had done. They knew. This wasn't hiding in the stables during the masquerade. More than one rebel had seen Ben betray them.

He tried to fire again, but his pistol jammed. He cursed loudly, almost comical in the situation.

Nat pushed the body away from her, and yanked Sirena to her feet.

"C'mon!" Ben yelled, and the three ran for their lives. There was nowhere to go except up the staircase. Sirena ran like a maniac, even in heels. Nat would have kicked hers off, but they were strapped on, so she half-stumbled along after them.

"Where are we going?" She panted as they ran.  
"You have to hide. They want you. If they don't kill they're going to capture you and torture information out of you." Ben didn't break his stride.

"_We_ have to hide? What about you?"

"I'll help you."

The shouting behind them intensified, and Nat knew they were in trouble. Ben stopped her.

"This is where I leave you. I'll try to pretend I lost you, or at least buy you some time. Hide somewhere, try to get to the safe rooms. I don't know."  
"What?"

"Nat, c'mon!" Sirena called from down the hall.

"Go." He shoved her slightly.

"No! I'm not leaving you. Not this time. I'm sick of always saying goodbye and never knowing if I'll see you again."

He grabbed her shoulders, and kissed her, quickly, but soundlessly.

"Me too. But I have to do this. I have to redeem myself for joining them. And if it means dying so you get away, I'll do it. Because I love you. Now go."

He ran back the way they had become, and Sirena tugged Nat along.

She didn't even get to say goodbye.

Behind them, there were more, endless gunshots. They came to the end of the hall. There was nowhere else to run, except up to the third floor.

"How do we get to the safe rooms?" Sirena asked breathlessly.

"I don't know."

A shout close behind them caused them to bolt into the nearest room, a private sitting room that dominated the palace.

"Was it a rebel?" Sirena whispered, shutting the door as quietly as she could. "Did he see us?"

"There's nowhere to hide!" She hissed. The room was tiny, just a loveseat across from two armchairs with two little side tables, and some book shelves.

"Behind the couch." There was barely enough room, and they had to scoot it out, and hope their gowns wouldn't be visible underneath.

They sat in utter silence for a moment, listening to the crackle of gunfire.

"I can't believe it's happening again." Sirena whispered.

_I can't believe I didn't stop it. _

"Who was that guy?" Sirena asked again after a moment. Like most of the rebels, Ben had been dressed as a guard. Her friend probably just assumed he was helping them until he kissed her. She had already told Sirena about the existence of Ben, but she didn't know he was a rebel.

"It was Ben. Remember, I told you about him?"

"I didn't know he was a guard." Sirena shrugged, confused.

"He's not. He's a rebel. Or at least he was. Now he can't get out." _And he's probably dead. _

"And you've-" Sirena cut off as they heard the door open. The two friends froze, holding their breaths. Nat wished she could see who it was, but they couldn't risk being seen. Grimy, muddy boots appeared under the couch, and stopped. Nat's heart was pounding so hard she thought he would hear it.

Someone else yelled something in the hallway, and the footsteps retreated, the door closing. They peeked to make sure he wasn't still there, and then released their held breathing.

"Oh no oh no oh no. What do we do!?" Sirena hissed in a panicked whisper. She was freaking out, her hands shaking, make up streaming from her tear filled eyes.

"We can't stay here. We have to get to the safe rooms."

"We should just stay here."

"What if they come back and find us? I'd rather take my chances out there then be stuck in here. The safe rooms are our best bet.

"If we can get to the third floor, I'm sure all the royal apartments have access to the tunnels." Nat whispered. She was in too much shock and self-guilt and fear to be panicked. To do that, they would have to go back to the main staircase, where they had been running away from.

"Okay. I trust you." Sirena took a deep breath, and the girls crawled out from behind the couch. They crept to the door.

"Hear anything?"

"No." Nat turned the knob, still wincing at the click of the door. It swung open, revealing an empty hallway. "Let's go."

They were about to break into a run, when the door from the room they had just vacated slammed shut. From behind the door they had opened, a filthy rebel, probably the one who had checked the room, appeared.

"Thought you ladies were smart, did you, hiding in there?" He laughed, a terrible cruel laugh. "Well I have orders to kill any of the fancy Selected girls. Looks like no one will mind what I do in the meantime. Today must be my lucky day!"

He lunged, grabbing for them both. Trying to surprise him, Nat met him halfway. She managed to knock the gun out of his hand, and make him loose his balance, but hers too in the process. They both fell against the wall, but Sirena half-caught Nat.

"Run!" Sirena cried when the man was on the floor. Nat scrambled to her feet, pausing to grab the gun while Sirena kicked him in the stomach in her deadly heels, and turned. She gave a small cry, and Nat turned to see him grab her by the ankle.

"Go!" Sirena cried, kicking violently, managing to free herself kicking his hand with a few well-placed kicks of the heel of her shoe. Nat didn't look back, just ran, hoping there would be no one else in their way, Sirena just behind her. They raced around the corner, the main staircase in sight.

Then Sirena fell, with a tiny cry. Nat heard the fabric of her dress rip. She was halfway up, pain streaking across her face. She winced as she stood.

And then she looked behind her and saw what Nat saw.

The rebel hadn't died by being kicked. Of course he hadn't. He came around the corner they had just retreated from, holding his hand painfully.

Sirena turned back, the fear palpable in her wide eyes. Nat tried to scream a warning, but to no avail.

A gun went off, and Sirena crumbled to the ground.

…

…

When her eyes opened, she didn't quite know what was happening.

The Great Room was practically empty.

Her left ring finger was bleeding, cut on a shard of glass from the window, but she couldn't feel it. She was laying on her stomach.

She could smell the flowers from the gardens, almost as if she were outside.

It was strangely silent.

A woman was crying somewhere, someone was yelling far off. A faint gunshot brought her back to reality.

Had she been shot? Her whole body felt numb. She couldn't tell. She tried to move her arm but only her fingers twitched. She just wanted to sleep…

"Adele…"

The voice called her back, back to memories of anger and frustration, and sneaking out to a seaside town, to memories of confusion and being trapped in closets, and Trentworth, to sneaking around at the palace, and falling in love. Colin.

Somehow she turned her head, and saw him. His face was half-covered with dried blood, his nose swollen, his eye black, his cheek bruised.

"Hey." He whispered, lifting his head.

"Hey." She whispered back, smiling faintly.

"I thought you were dead." He pulled himself onto one elbow, grunting in pain and breathing hard. His hand cupped her cheek, like she was glass, and he brushed back a piece of her hair.

"What happened?"

He didn't say anything, just looked over her shoulder.

"Is Mitch dead?" She asked. "Are we safe?"

"I don't know. I don't know what's going to happen anymore." Colin's voice was hoarse. "But I don't think Illea will ever be the same."

He swallowed, and then sat up, and she saw blood on his shirt.

"You're hurt." She said.

"It's not my blood. Not most of it anyway. I'll be fine. But we have to get out of here. They'll be back for me. And now you."

"But what about the Selection?"

He didn't say anything, but scrabbled slowly to his feet, wincing. She tried to make her legs work, but she was just too tired.

"Where are we going? Colin? Help me!" Her questions turned to frantic pleas as darkness grew behind her eyes, and suddenly she wasn't numb anymore.

Pain. It was everywhere, and she couldn't escape, the firebrand in her back, burning through consciousness.

She'd been shot. Somewhere in the back of her shoulder. She could feel it, the blood soaking into her dress, the fabric sticking wetly to her skin. She tried to escape, but she couldn't.

He grabbed her hand, the one bleeding from the glass, and she squeezed it for dear life. "Help me!" She gasped. She couldn't cry, couldn't scream, nothing.

She was vaguely aware of him, telling her to calm down, stroking her hair. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she heard shouts, and Colin looked up.

"It's going to be okay. C'mon, we have to get out of here." He said, sliding his arms around her. She saw stars as his touch neared her shoulder, and bit her lip to keep from screaming. She put one arm around his neck, the other around his back, trying her anchor herself to something. She closed her eyes as he tried to pull her up, but he had suffered a beating of his own, and struggled.

"Adele, please." Colin whispered. "We have to get out of here."

"I can't." She slumped limply against him, too tired to try.

"I know." He gently released her.

"You have to get out of here." She was barely aware of what she was saying. "You have to leave me here." The darkness behind her eyes threatened to overwhelm her now.

"I can't." He echoed her words.

"I know."

"I don't what's going to happen. But whatever does, I'll find you. Someday." He rested her forehead against hers, his voice cracking. "And we'll go somewhere where they won't ever find us. Somewhere far away. Where it's just us and we don't have to hide." He looked her in the eyes, his hands on either side of her face. "I promise. I won't let this be the end. Because I love you, Adele Warren."

She tried to say it back to the one she loved. But the darkness took her, and she closed her eyes.

…

There wasn't time to scream, to cry, to think of what had just happened. In fact, it barely even registered. Nat just ran into the first room she saw, one of their rooms. She hid in the closet part of the adjoined bathroom and dressing room, barricaded by dresses.

She didn't know how long she was there for. But while her breathing finally calmed down, her hands wouldn't stop shaking. Only then did she realize she was still holding one of the rebel's pistols. Of course he would have more than one.

She heard the door from the hallway into the room open softly and cautious footsteps. She slid through the gaudy curtain of gowns, realizing that this was Sirena's closet. Hopefully she had made it to the safe rooms. She had only been pretending, after all. It was a good idea.

She peered through the clothes, seeing the same man enter into this part of the room. She hoped the gun was loaded. Steadying it both hands didn't do much good for they both were shaking. When he was investigating the bathroom, she came out, holding the gun up.

"Hey."

He turned, and she fired. He jerked backwards, and fell to the tile. There was so much blood she didn't bother making sure he was dead. She dropped the gun, realizing what she had done.

_But he killed Sirena. No, he didn't. He just shot her. He would have shot me too. _

Her breaths were coming in ragged, sobbing gasps. She backed out of the room, feeling icy cold. She stepped out into the hallway, and slumped against the door frame.

There were footsteps, and Ben appeared from the landing of the main staircase. Seeing her, he stopped, his shoulders sagging. "You're okay."

She couldn't run anymore, but she made her way to him, and they met in the middle. She threw her arms around him, her only anchor in the world right now. Who knew what had happened to everyone else. He put his hand on the back of her close, and held her tightly.

"I was so worried. I came back for you. I found Sirena, and when I couldn't find you…and then I heard the shot-"

"Did you get her to the safe rooms?"

"Who?"

"Sirena. Did you get her out of here? Is she okay?"  
"Nat…"

"Is she going to be okay?" Nat pressed.

Ben stared at her, tight-lipped. "No."

"What do you mean, no?!" She stepped back. "She was just pretending! She was trying to fool that rebel. Why did you leave, Ben? Why did you leave!?" Her resolve was crumbling, her voice rising higher and higher.

She couldn't deny it anymore. She turned around. Of course her friend wasn't in the safe rooms. She was still in the hallway, her white and gold skirt fanned perfectly around her. Nat approached her numbly and knelt by her side, taking her hand—cold.

Her red hair was a mess, but it still looked fantastic, splayed out under her head. Her eyes were closed, and she seemed peaceful, all her doubting and depression behind her.

Nat tried to ignore the blood staining the sides of her dress. She had been shot in the back. The blood-red rubies Ethan had given her still sparkled brilliantly.

"No." Nat murmured, her voice collapsing. "No." she struggled to keep the sobs at bay "_No!_" it was nothing but a pathetic whisper.

She couldn't even cry.

Because of her, her friend was dead.

"Nat…" Ben put his hand on her shoulder, but she didn't respond. He shook her slightly, and she let go of Sirena's hand, and stood up, clinging to him.

Sirena…the vivacious redhead, who never said a mean thing about anyone—as long as they didn't deserve it. The girl who couldn't decide if she loved life or hated it. But was able to throw off her problems long enough to beat them back and just have fun. The girl everyone wanted to be friends with, who kept everyone inline, who loved and hated passionately.

She was gone.

"It was my fault. It was all my fault. I should have warned them, I shouldn't have run without her. I shouldn't have left the room. I should have gone with the guards." Nat kept saying. The blockage was over now, and tears were starting. "She didn't deserve this! She had gone through so much! She—"

"Nat, listen to me!" Ben gripped her tightly, turning her around to face him. "You didn't kill her. You didn't fire the gun, did you? Even if you had told someone, Mitch probably would have still found a way in, okay? It wasn't your fault she died!"

The shock of what had happened that day was too much. Nat didn't even have the energy to stand. She just let Ben hold her up and he held her while she cried.

"Lady Natalia!" After who knows how long, a shout broke them apart. Nat saw a battalion of guards coming towards them, guns drawn. "Hands up!" They yelled at Ben. Nat looked outside the windows and realized it was dark. The day was over.

"What's going on?" She asked.

"That man isn't a guard, Lady Natalia. He's a rebel." One of them told her.

"He just saved my life." She begged, as they stepped behind Ben, handcuffing him. He didn't struggle, just watched her. Two guards saw Sirena and went to her, speaking into their radios.

"Nat!" Ethan was here, still dressed in his suit from the Convicting, looking exhausted. "You're okay." Unknowingly, he echoed Ben's words. He pulled her into an embrace, and she felt Ben's eyes on them, watching jealously.

He stopped short, seeing Sirena, now surrounded by medics and guards. He looked at Nat again, and she lowered her gaze.

"She's dead, then?"

Nat nodded. "But you can't arrest him." She looked at Ben. "He isn't a rebel."

"He isn't a guard, Lady Natalia." The seemingly head guard told her. "I know he's dressed one, but we have information he's one of the top officials in their spy network."

"But he's not! Just ask him! I knew him before, okay? We used to go to work together. We used to date." She added. "Ask him! He isn't one of them. He tried to stop the attacks, but it was my fault."

"Your fault? How was it your fault?" Ethan asked, incredulous. Nat realized she had too much.

"He couldn't just leave, okay? They would have tracked him down. He couldn't have told anyone… so he told me."

"You knew about this?" The betrayal was evident in Ethan's voice. "You've been talking to him? You and Adele? I can't believe this."

"Look, I know it was a stupid thing. Call me a coward, call me a murder, but there is no way you can change it, Ethan. And yeah, you probably hate me, but know this, I hate myself too. But he knows things. He isn't one of them. He can help you."

"Nat, a lot of people died. And you could have prevented this."

"I know! But-"

"Let's just get you to the safe rooms." His voice was cold. "It's too late."

…

**If it helps, I know I'm a terrible person.**

**-Shades**


	90. Call Out My Name

**The Story: So regarding all the hate filled comments, the cursing, and the death threats I received in response to last chapter: I understand, everyone was upset about Sirena. But get this—I'm upset too! I didn't just write that to be mean or to laugh at your pain, I wrote it because as a writer, I realized it needed to happen. It was very hard to write, it was very upsetting. But despite this being a story, I'd still like it to be as real as possible, and to be honest, none of the characters ever dying before seems a little unrealistic to me now that I look back. Some of you have even commented in the past that, and even that you wanted someone to die. I loved Sirena, she was one of my favorite characters (credits to **the5SOS-YAfangirl)** and it was so, so hard to write!**

**Know that I do appreciate you taking the time to review anyway, because honestly I didn't except any reviews thanks to: **delovlies, LadyAnj, XOStarbrightXO, UltimateMaxmericaShipper, 4Love4Love4, the5SOS-YAfangirl, Lizcran, Guest, , Deeptha13, Demigod18, **and **nameless

**And yes, very very sorry this update is so late! Between work and starting classes, I've been too tired to be creative, and then there was this free trial to amazon prime that ended in trying out Teen Wolf and binge watching….**

…

Ethan stared at the window, not seeing the outside. It was too horrible to think about. He just wanted to feel like everything was going to be okay.

But it wasn't. Nothing was ever going to be okay again.

103 people had lost their lives today. One of them had been Sirena.

Adele, despite leading him on, had been found wounded, gunshot in her shoulder. She was still in surgery, and her life hung in a balance.

And Nat, his friend, had known about the whole thing. And she hadn't done anything about it.

It was late, nearing midnight. He was exhausted, but he knew he wouldn't be able to sleep yet. There was too much to think about.

After less than an hour of shooting, the rebels had left. There was little to no resistance, their guard force had been massacred, if they hadn't joined the rebels. They had just left, leaving behind only 12 dead. Their guard force was skeletal now, at best. A little over twenty had been lucky enough to survive, making their movements restricted. The Selected girls were to stay in their rooms, although not much changed for Nat.

Until they could figure out her involvement, she had been placed under house arrest in her rooms. The guy she had been found with had been taken to confinement.

It was a little known fact that the depths of the palace also contained a temporary holding area for prisoners involved in trials taking place in the palace, where Ben had been taken. Since they could not prove Nat had any involvement, for the time being she retained her status as a Selected.

Ebony, Nicole, Gracie, and Katherine had all been okay. When the shooting had begun, the guards had managed to get Nicole and Gracie to the safe rooms with the rest of the royal family. Ethan had come with Katherine, and Ebony had been found towards the end of the attack and brought to the safe rooms.

And there was still a lot to decide.

Ethan closed his hand around the bottle of scotch, and poured another glass. At this point, he didn't know what else to do.

And why shouldn't he? Sirena was dead, Adele had probably never loved him, Nat was practically a spy, the county was in ruins, his father probably still hated him, and no one had any idea of where they were going or what they were doing.

A knock on his door half-startled him, and he banged the glass on the table, and wiped his mouth before answering. It was a butler, coming to inform him he needed to be present in a meeting his father was holding. Ethan nodded, and followed him down to the West wing of the palace.

The room was emptier than usual. At least twenty of the advisors and lawmakers were absent, many who had been present during the Convicting had been killed or wounded or absent and now could not come.

He went to his seat near his brothers. Andrew looked different than Ethan had ever seen him. The usual arrogance and cockiness had been replaced with a serious worry, like he had been slapped in the face—which in a way he had—as he realized what the country he was inheriting was really like. Wesley looked a whole lot younger than he usually did, and he didn't crack a single lame joke. He kept watching their dad, looking for some source of comfort. If Ethan hadn't been quite so intoxicated he might have tried to comfort him, but he just sat down, wordlessly.

Their roles had been reversed during the nightmare, and for now, they weren't themselves.

"Good of you to join us, Ethan." King Jackson accused, shooting him a glare.

Ethan scowled and nodded, and slung out his chair. He may technically have six other girlfriends, but one of them had just been killed. A guy needed some time after that.

"Things are changing. We can no longer deny this. Action must be taken." His father continued. "Andrew, what do you suggest we do in response?"

His older brother was quiet, shifting nervously in his seat. "I think…first off, we should move back to Trentworth for safety." He said, his heart not in the words.

"That is something we absolutely cannot do." King Jackson stood up angrily. "First off, there are at least half as many remaining Selected, and there is no need to move them all away. Ninety five percent of the damage to the palace physically is in the Great Room. There were no explosions this time. And our guard force has been decimated. We would be safer here. But most importantly, we have to show these hotheads that we have no intent to flee and hide like cowards"

"Clearly you already had an opinion, so why did you even ask him?" Ethan blurted, emboldened by drink, the alcohol befuddling his brain and slurring his words.

There was a moment of quiet, and Ethan realized he had never challenged his father in such a manner.

"To teach him. To teach all of you." He said, his voice cold, his gaze pointed at Ethan. There was another moment of silence. "We have lots of questions, but no answers. But one thing I know, is that we need to something."

Even if anyone disagreed, no one spoke up.

"For the past three hours," King Jackson continued. "There have reports of outbreaks of support for these rebels across the country, strongly stationed in the Northern provinces. At least in my mind, it is clear what we need to do.

"We will not tolerate these actions taken against the crown. These men have invaded our palace not once, but four times. They have killed innocent civilians in Yukon, wreaked havoc in our lands, and now, they've killed one of Selected, and severely wounded another. We can't just let them get away with it. So, starting tomorrow, I will announce for the deployment of the draft in all provinces to re-stabilize our army, and then send them out to end this insurrection."

There were murmurs of agreement, but Ethan couldn't help but laugh, listening to the ridiculousness of the statement.

"You think that's going to solve anything?" He asked, incredulous. "Look, I get that we need to do something, but sending out a drafted army isn't it. It'll just turn those families whose sons were taken—not to mention those men—against you. It'll start a civil war."

"Remind me, Ethan, of your opinion, when—if—you are king. And when you are not drunk. I will not risk this country for the sake of the lives of a few men. They've gone too far this time."

Embarrassed, Ethan lowered his head, his face burning.

"The people need to see we are working to quash this rebellion." King Jackson continued. "Andrew, I'll be sending you to Sonage. Since it is so close to Yukon, there is a lot of rebel support. They need to see the support of their future king. You'll be commanding in the field, all three of you." He fixed his gaze on his younger two sons. "You leave tomorrow.

"Wes, you'll be going to Tammins. There has been a great output of support for us there, and your presence will help. Ethan, you'll be going to Lakedon to the base there, where we will be launching one of our main campaigns. For now, we will suspend your Selection. The girls will stay here for the time being, until we can figure out what role Lady Natalia played, and if she is guilty of treason, and if Lady Adele recovers. I suggest you speak with the other four before you leave."

...

Gracie looked down at the letter she had been writing, the words falling flat as she scanned them. It was to her family, explaining what had happened, and that she was okay. Only it wasn't exactly the truth. The people knew of a rebel attack on the palace, but most of the details were omitted, except the fact that it had, indeed, happened.

A knock at her door interrupted her thoughts. She quickly smoothed her hair, hoping it was her maids or a guard, telling her everything was okay, and they could leave their rooms and everything would go back to normal.

It was Ethan.

"Oh!" She was surprised, but pleasantly so. "It's you!"

"Gracie. Hi." He looked exhausted, as she opened her door wider to let him in.

"What are you doing here?" She perched on the edge of her bed, excitement building in her stomach just at his mere presence.

He sat down next to her, and took her hand. "I came to talk to you. I need to tell you something."

"Something like that everything is going to be okay again?" She prodded.

He gave her a sad smile, and hesitated. He couldn't tell her that Sirena was dead, Nat was probably a traitor, and Adele had been severely wounded. Not his sweet, naïve Gracie. "I'll send your maids up later to talk to you more about what happened yesterday. I just came to say goodbye."

Gracie felt a jolt of fear. "Goodbye?"

"I have to leave for a while." He cleared his throat. "I'm going to Lakedon. I'll be assisting commanding the army from there, and also letting the people know we're not backing down. There's a big military base down there…"

"Is that safe?" She cried wildly. "What if something happens? What if you're killed? Can't they send someone else?" The panic rose in her voice, and tears filled her eyes.

"Ethan, if you're killed, I couldn't bear it." She added in a hushed voice. "If I didn't get to tell you things I've wanted to tell you for months now, if I didn't get to spend my life at your side…"

"Everything will be fine." He told her, stopping her heartfelt confession, a look of almost fear in his eyes. "I'll be fine, Gracie. In a few months, everything will be back to normal, and the Selection will pick up and the only thing you'll have to worry about will be what you're wearing to dinner."

She searched his face for a sign. "You're a terrible liar." She gave him a sad smile. "I may not understand everything, but I do know that this is a turning point. It's never going to be the same again, is it?"

Ethan sighed heavily, and wrapped one arm around her shoulders, pulling her into a side hug. "No. It's not." He pulled her close, both arms tight around her.

She pressed her forehead against his shoulder, wishing the moment could never end. Yesterday had shaken her more than she initially realized. But with Ethan, she felt safe.

"I should tell you something, before you go." She murmured into his shirt.

Ethan stiffened, remembering those similar words Nat had uttered after he had given her the jewelry, and she had backed out. She had tried to tell him.

"What is it?"

She took a deep breath. She was hoping she would have to spell it out to him. "Ethan…I know how I feel about you, and I'm done waiting. There's six other girls here, and I think you need to know where you stand—at least with me."

Abruptly, Ethan pulled away from her. He couldn't hear this. Not right now. He couldn't hear this girl spill her heart to him, not if he didn't know how he felt about her, or any of them. Not with Sirena dead, and with him leaving.

"I'm sorry, Gracie."

"Can you hear me out, at least?" She was hurt. "I just want to explain to you how I feel!"

He paused at the door. "I think I already know."

He left quickly, leaving Gracie alone.

...

It was time to get some answers.

And when the knock on Nicole's door yielded a quite unkempt Ethan, she seized the opportunity.

"What in the world is going on?" She demanded, as he opened his mouth to address her. He stopped, confusion knitting his brows. His shirt was wrinkled, his tie sagging, his hair a mess, and dark circles under his eyes.

"I'm leaving." He said. "I came to say goodbye to all of you."

"What, so you think you can just leave and everything will be just fine?" Nicole felt her blood rise. "First, they attack the palace-_again_, and then you march us—the four of us who made it to the safe rooms in the first place—back to our rooms and shut and lock the door and don't come back again until the next day, just to tell us you're leaving, without any consideration or even telling us what the hell is going on?"  
By the time she finished her tirade, it wasn't even a question, and her voice had risen to hysterical. "Can someone just tell me what happened?" Her voice squeaked out. "What happened to my sister, to the others? Are they even alive?"

She felt her shoulders slump in defeat, taking stock of everything she had said out loud kind of did that to you.

There was a moment of quiet, and Ethan took her firmly by the shoulders, the smell of alcohol on his breath, the exhaustion evident on his face.

"I know everything won't be fine. I just don't know what to do anymore." His voice was lost, like a little boy's.

"My dad is making a horrible mistake and he's got me wrapped up into it. He never listens, not to me, not to anyone else. I don't even know how to answer your question."

He was angry, probably drunk, and not making much sense to her. "He's sending my brothers and I to command in the field. We have no idea what we're doing. He's sending us away, he's starting a civil war, and he's ruining the country, and I can't do anything about it."

"You could start by explaining some things." She knew she should feel sorry for him, but she was too afraid, too upset. "What happened yesterday?"

"The rebels attacked." He said, like she was stupid. "They attacked, they killed over a hundred people, and then they left, they just left."

"Where's Nat?"

"I can't tell you that."

"Why not? She's my sister!" Nicole yelled. "I have a right to know!"

"Because you're sister knew all about the attack, okay? She knew, and she didn't do anything to stop it!" Ethan cried, shoving her away roughly. She stumbled, catching herself against the wall. "She's a traitor!"  
Nicole stared at him in disbelief, and then smacked him as hard as she could. "You're lying!" She screamed. "You're lying! You're just trying to blame it on someone else because you and your father are supposed to be in charge of this country and yet it happened again, you—you lying bastard!"

"I hate my father!" It was mostly true, he realized, at least at the moment.

"Well you're just like him!" She screamed in his face. "You blame all your faults on everyone else! You think you're not equipped because he didn't teach you! You think you can be cold to us because you're the prince. I don't know why I ever wanted to come here, just to have my heart broken and my sister lied about and almost get killed! You have no idea what you're doing, just leading us all on, and you don't care about any of us! And now you're just going to leave?!"  
She tried to hit him again, but Ethan caught her by the wrists, restraining her. She fought, kicking at him, but he was stronger. His face was red, and for a second she thought he might hit her instead. His breathing came in short, ragged gasps, and his teeth were grinding against each other under his clenched jaw.

"Sirena's dead."

"What?" She whispered. She stopped struggling, and he released her, turning away to the door.

"I should have done something. I should have been there. It was my fault." He mumbled, running his hand through his hair.

"I didn't know." Nicole whispered, the words she had just yelled running through her head. She suddenly felt awful.

"No one told you." He shrugged, and cleared his throat. "I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news." When she didn't say anything, he put his hands in his pockets, and opened the door.  
"I should go. I don't really know when I'll be back. Until we figure some things out, the Selection is suspended."

…

Katherine knew he had bad news as soon as she saw his face.

His tortured expression, the bruising under his eyes, and the look in them, like his whole world was crumbling down. It had been hours since the guards had escorted to her room last night after everything was over, and aside from her maids once, she hadn't seen anyone else. She wanted to run to him, to hug him and for him to hold her until everything was okay again.

But she had to be strong.

"I'm leaving." He blurted out. "I'm going to Lakedon. War is starting." His voice broke at the end, and somehow, as terrible as it was what he had just said, she knew whatever else would be worse. "And there's more. I think I should be the one to tell you." With a shuddering breath, he met her eyes. "Sirena didn't make it. She was killed during the attack."

Katherine inhaled sharply. She and Sirena had never been the best of friends, but she had always been there, lively and bright. She had never been unkind to Katherine, and yet…she was gone. With seven of them yesterday, and six today, the stakes were getting higher and higher. Only this time, Ethan hadn't just sent Sirena home.

"Adele was wounded, but so far she has survived. She's in surgery right now. Nat apparently had some knowledge of the attacks. She's being held in her room on charges of suspicion of treason."

How his voice was so calm, she had no idea. But his resolve was cracking. He looked around wildly, like he was searching for something.

"What am I supposed to do?" He took a shuddering breath and then she realized,

Prince Ethan Shreave was crying.

"Ethan?" She whispered, reaching out to touch his hand. He impulsively pulled her into a fierce embrace.

"I can't do this anymore, Kate." He murmured into her hair. "I don't know how, I don't know what to do, and even if I did, I wouldn't even want to." His breathing was erratic, and he clung to her like a lifeline. Katherine could only think about those times where he had comforted her over the pain of losing her sister, and now it was her turn. No more hiding behind walls, and being scared.

"Yes, you can." She pushed his shoulders back so he was looking at her. The look in his eyes was something she had never seen. They were so empty, so hopeless. "I know you can. I may have only known you for like six months, but I know that you are capable of more than you think. I know it's hard to lose someone. I know you're scared—I'm scared. But you can't let that define you, remember?"

"I'm not." He protested.

"No, Ethan, you are. You're letting this define you in this moment. Do you really think Sirena would want you to do that?"

He pulled away from her. "No. But it's not just about her. It's everything!"

It should have yelled, but his voice broke and he slumped against the wall, holding his head.

"It's going to be okay." Katherine said.

"No, no it's not. This is going to be a civil war, Katherine. Don't you understand? If we do nothing, then the rebels will probably kill us all. But if we do this, this will be the end of the country as we know it. And Sirena's dead, and Nat and Adele…." He trailed off, shaking his head. "I don't know what to do about any of it."

"Ethan, remember when we were at Trentworth, during that party, and you told me that I don't have to put losing my sister behind me? That I don't have to forget what happened?"

Ethan nodded reluctantly.

"You don't have to forget. You don't have to think of what you could have done differently, or blame it on yourself. Because sure, things could have been different. But they weren't. So stop wishing you could change things, and deal with them. It matters what you do now, not what you could have done."

He didn't respond, and Katherine felt her new-found strength crumble, and those stupid tears rose in her throat. "I'm sorry, I don't know where I'm going with this…"

"It doesn't matter."

"What?"

"It doesn't matter." He raised his eyes to hers, and slowly, his mouth formed the beginning of a smirk. "Since when did you become so strong?"

"Since I met you."

"I guess that's two of us. See Kate, it doesn't matter. I figured out what you were trying to say, but the fact that you cared enough to say it is what matters. Because you make me strong."

He lifted her chin up with his fingers, and kissed her softly.

Katherine hugged him, and for a second let herself melt into the warmth of his embrace. In this moment, she wanted to go back to being the weak one. She wanted him to reassure her and tell her he was coming back or that he wasn't even leaving. But that's not how it worked.

His fingers smoothed over her hair, and he held her a little tighter. "I'll be back. I promise."

…


	91. They Say I'll Be Okay

**The Story: Sometimes, getting things done is impossible. I'm so sorry! Between work and college, I had like no time to work on this! **

**Who am I kidding, I had tons of time, but between **_**Lost, Reign, Teen Wolf**_**, and especially **_**Outlander**_**, I didn't get a lot of writing done…In my defense, I also did lose about a week after I spilled water on my laptop. **

**Thanks to my fabulous reviewers, hopefully you'll still stick with me! Specifically **delovlies, UltimateMaxmericaShipper, Lizcran, fivesauce'n'YAbooks, Deeptha13, Nameless, Demigod18 **and new reviewer **KantThink**! Love you guys! **

…

Gracie opened her eyes with a start, sucking in a sharp intake of breath. She blinked several times, trying to adjust to reality. Her horrible dreams faded, leaving only the safety of her room, the familiar walls, the familiar windows. She tentatively relaxed back into her pillows, but knew she wouldn't be able to sleep.

Not after two days ago, when rebels had once again broken into the palace and stole away all the security and safety they thought they had left. Not after she had seen men and women be killed right before her eyes and spending seemingly never-ending hours in the safe room.

And not after yesterday. Not after Ethan had told her he was leaving to fight a war and then left her alone in her room before she got to tell him what she had to tell him. What she needed to tell him. Not after attending the funerals of the men who had lost their lives in the attack, seeing the man she loved stand by his father, his shoulders hunched, so weak and so broken. Not after a night of terrible dreams that could have easily been reality. Not after seeing Ethan die one too many times in her nightmares.

It was time to get up anyway. Morning was creeping through night, lighting her room with the palest hue of color. The pristine green of the gardens began to turn from dark shapes, and it seemed the world might be okay again. Gracie pulled her comforter off her bed, and settled in the luxurious window seat. She was exhausted, her eyes felt heavy and her head stuffy. But she didn't want to risk going back to sleep and being greeted with the nightmares.

As the day dawned, it dawned gray and dim. Wisps of mist clung to the trees on the outside of garden, and heavy gray clouds obscured the sun. The light came up and then the day stopped brightening and remained dark and gloomy. It didn't feel like the normal time when her maids came in for the morning. They seemed just as shell shocked and scared as she was, greeting her with blank faces.

They curtsied to her. "Good morning, Lady Gracie."

She nodded to them, and reluctantly unwrapped herself from her cocoon of warmth and left the peace of her window seat. "So with Ethan gone, are we going back to Trentworth?" She asked hopefully. It would be good to get away for a while. It was winter now, though. Although Angeles never got too cold, she wouldn't mind.

"No, miss. We have to get you ready for the funeral." Summer said gently, refusing to look at her, as Lizzie draped a long black gown over Gracie's closet door. This one was much fancier than the knee length black tea dress she had worn yesterday to the funerals of the guards. It was floor length, with a scoop neck lace color.

"Who is this one for?" She asked morbidly. Probably some high ranking official who had been killed and was going to be honored separately. Her maids all exchanged glances and then whisked her off to get ready.

When she was all made up and dressed, her short hair pinned back with a few curls to frame her face, a guard came to escort her like they had yesterday. He took her to a small room, a parlor, off the gardens, just inside the gardens, to where the funerals had been held yesterday.

"Wait here." He opened the door, revealing Nicole, Katherine, and Ebony. Nat, Sirena and Adele were noticeably absent.

The three other girls stood up at the noise and then sat back down, seeing it was only here. Nicole smiled sadly at her, and Katherine scooted over to make room for her on the sofa. Ebony continued to look out the window, her jawline harsh and clenched. Despite the high neckline and long sleeves of her gown, it still hugged her curves.

"Has anyone told you about Adele? Did she come out of surgery okay?" Gracie broke the heavy silence.

"She's still unconscious but she's out of surgery." Katherine said softly.

"Is she going to be okay?"

"They think so. She just needs time to recover is all."

"And what about Nat?"

Katherine shrugged, and looked at Nicole. Nicole's eyes shifted away painfully.

Gracie decided not to press her for answers. Silence settled over them, until a knock at the door startled them all again. Two guards opened it.

"We're here to escort you outside for the proceedings, ladies." He said. "If you'll follow us."

Around her, Katherine, Nicole, and Ebony stood with a rustle of black fabric. Gracie followed their example.

"What about Sirena?" She asked.

The other three froze. All eyes trained on her.

"I-Is she going to meet us there?" Her voice came out rather shaky. Katherine looked away. Ebony pushed past them. Nicole bit her lip and followed Ebony, less abruptly.

"What's going on?" Gracie called after them.

"Lady Gracie, if you please." The second guard motioned for her to leave the room. She did so, with the terrible feeling rising in her chest that something was terribly wrong.

"Where are we going?" She asked the guard, hoping to elicit some answers from him at least. He kept staring straight ahead, and didn't answer.

The two guards led them outside, to where the funerals yesterday had been held. Only now, there was only one. Gracie shivered in the rainy breeze as droplets splattered the pavers.

"Why won't anyone tell me anything?" She begged now. "Please!"

"Why didn't anyone tell her?" Ebony scoffed. "Why does it have to be us?" She crossed her arms.

"Ethan came to see you to tell you he was leaving, right?" Nicole asked. Gracie nodded, scared of her next words. "He's a coward." Nicole mumbled.

"Guys, where's Sirena?" Gracie squeaked out. But she already knew. Something was never going to be like it was. "Where is she?" Tears filled her eyes.

Katherine reached for her hand, and grasped it. She was crying now too. "I'm so sorry, Gracie. I'm so sorry. They should have told you." She cried, her mascara leaving little streaks of black down her cheeks.

"What happened to her?" The words came out as sobs. "Where is she?"

Katherine looked towards the casket. "She was killed in the attack."

Gracie didn't want to believe it. She tried so hard not to. But it was too hard. She found herself standing there, with the other three girls, as they said goodbye to their fire haired friend.

Sirena lay in the casket, so still and peaceful. Her skin was so pale, her hair so red. Her full lips parted slightly as if she was just sleeping. But she wasn't. She would never wake up.

"This isn't the first time."

She heard a soft voice next to her, and turned to look. Ebony stood next to her, hands clasped at her waist, the wind blowing her raven hair wildly around her face.

"And it won't be the last."

"The last what?" Gracie's voice came out as a whisper.

"To see someone I knew dead."

"But you didn't even like Sirena. You guys fought all the time." Gracie muttered.

"I don't like anyone Gracie. But I still care. And it still hurts me to see someone innocent get killed in the crossfire."

Gracie's shoulders slumped, and she covered her face. "That's the thing. We don't have anything to do with this fight and now one of us has been killed."

Nicole started to cry then too, and she and Katherine stood clinging to each other. Ebony stood off to the side, arms still crossed. Gracie wrapped her arms around herself, trying to hold back the pain. She wished someone would be there, to take it all away. But Ethan was gone, leaving her feeling alone. She wanted to kick and scream and take it all back.

But it was too late.

She buried her face in her hands, trying and failing to swallow that sobs that threatened to break free.

And then Ebony did something entirely unexpected. She put her hand on Gracie's shoulder and patted her back gently. "It's going to be okay. We'll be safe."

Gracie shook her head and jerked away. "We don't know that anymore."

"Listen to me." Ebony turned Gracie towards her, both hands on her shoulders so she couldn't get away. "Listen to me, Gracie. Underneath all that peaches and cream cutesy pink and glitter is a girl who I know could save herself if she had to. And she doesn't need a man to do it for her either, okay? You're going to be okay."

And then she hugged her, albeit awkwardly. "It's going to be okay."

Cautiously, Gracie hugged this mysterious girl back. She felt Nicole's arm drape over her shoulders, and Katherine put her arm over Ebony so the four of them stood in a huddle.

And as the rain began to fall in sheets, drenching them, and the few remaining staff scurried to quickly move everyone and everything inside, they cried.

…

Ebony wrenched open her window, half tempted to shove the shadowy figure out off the sill.

"What are you doing here?" She demanded, her voice as dark as the stormy night.

"Baby, I was hoping for a more civil greeting." Mitch dropped to the floor, his clothes dripping water everywhere. He grabbed her arm and pulled her close, yanking her against him. "Like a kiss."

She did shove him away this time. "How did you get in here?"

"Your balcony was locked so I knocked on the window and you opened it." He shrugged, tracing his finger up her arm.

"No, like into the grounds of the palace? The one you're trying to overthrow?"

"The guards aren't as proficient as they think they are. I've been here before." He smirked. "They have no idea."

"Why did you kill Sirena, then? What was she to you? Innocent?" Ebony raised an eyebrow, and cocked a hip.

"Oh yeah, about that. Well, I didn't do it. The first casualty of war, I suppose. My men got out of hand."

"The first casualty of war is innocence." Ebony turned away, wishing he would leave. "I don't want anyone else getting hurt."

Mitch laughed softly, and settled himself royally in her chair. "That's not going to happen. They've sent the army out."

"I just wish I could stop it all."

"You can't do everything, princess." Mitch leaned back in the chair, hands behind his head. "Not without me."

"Can you please get out?" Ebony snapped.

"Ouch. I was hoping for something more along the lines of I want to have sex with you. But since I guess that's out, will you at least hear what I have to say to you?"

"I already told you, I'm not joining you."

"Oh, but you already have."

"What are you talking about? You're crazy. Now leave."

"Not until you tell me one tiny insignificant detail." He stood up, standing just behind her, moving her hair off her shoulder. "And I promise you, you and your little friends will be fine."

"They're not my friends." Ebony tried to move away from him, but he captured her wrist.

"Then you don't mind if they get hurt." He stated, and then kissed the back of her neck. "Or would you."

"They don't have anything to do with this."

"They have everything to do with it." He moved to behind her ear. "You see, one of them will become a princess. One of them will be one of the people who sat back and did nothing to help Yukon."

Ebony felt her resolve crumbling as Mitch's arms went around her waist, and pulled her into his chest.

"I still don't agree with you."

"I'm not my father, remember?" He spun her around roughly, and this time, kissed her lips, hard and urgent. "I just want you-" he paused for breath. "You and Illea."

"I'm fighting for justice. You just have to figure out one thing."

Ebony felt her resolve crumbling, as his grip around her tightened, so she couldn't even pull away if she wanted to. "What?"

"Whose side are you on?"

…

**I know, it's pretty short, but I had a much longer written, but I realized I needed to go back and write this, and it came before the other one-which should be up very soon because it's almost done!**

**Please review!**

**-Shades**


	92. Waiting Game

**The Story: WHEN YOU HAND SOMEONE THEIR COFFEE AT WORK AND ACCIDENTLY SAY THANK YOU AND IT JUST SO HAPPENS TO BE A REALLY ATTRACTIVE GUY**

**Remember how I said the next chapter would be up very soon like two weeks ago? Sorry about that. I've had this 95% done for at least a week and just haven't had the time or creativity to finish it up…this chapter has a lot of catching up and not much real time so it was kinda hard to write. **

**Still you all stick with me! Love to reviewers **UltimateMaxmericaShipper, fivesauce'n'YAbooks, delovlies, 4Love4Love4, Deeptha13 **and **Nameless**! **

**Note: This chapter takes place two months after the last one. **

…

Waiting.

Endless waiting.

Adele traced her finger over the back of the grand piano, feeling the dust collect. There shouldn't be dust in the palace. But there was. She listened to the click of her heels on the tile as she walked the perimeter of the Woman's Room, wishing they could go outside. She hadn't been outside in two months, not since the day of the Convicting, when she had gone out on her balcony that morning.

Everything had changed after that, and the doors being locked to her balcony was the least of it. Sure the palace was big, but even so, Adele still felt trapped. Most days, after being escorted down from their rooms to the dining room for breakfast, the five of them left spent the day in the Woman's Room, leaving for lunch, and then going back until around five when they went back to their rooms and then back down to the dining room for dinner, and then to bed.

It was maddening. She felt like she was going crazy, with nothing to do. Sophia had resigned her job after the rebel attack and left the palace, so obviously they had no more lessons. They couldn't go anywhere without an escort, and there weren't many guards left. Many of them who had survived the attack and hadn't left with Mitch and his men, had deserted.

The same thing had happened with the servants. While not as many of them had been killed, many of them had quit after the horrors of the attacks. And no one else was willing to take their place. The vast halls seemed so quiet without all of them. Adele now only had one maid to help her, her other two had been recruited to other tasks, but there was still dust in the palace that had been perfect just a few months earlier.

Adele reached the big bay window, where the sunlight spilled into the room. There were bars on the outside, another change. Still, it did nothing to cease the false alarms that plagued them all the time, causing everyone to run for the safe rooms—usually in the middle of the night—only to hear nothing had happened. She turned around and began her trek once again, this time to the door leading to the hallway. She was surprised she hadn't worn a rut through it, with all the days spent locked in here with nothing to do but worry.

Too many questions, not enough answers.

It was driving her crazy.

She had no idea what had happened to Colin, or if he was even alive. Her memories after waking up lying were fleeting and hazy. She remembered not being able to find the strength to stand after being shot, and Colin unwilling to leave her, but after that she had blacked out again and woken up late the next day being informed that she had been shot in the shoulder and had gone through surgery to remove the bullet, but it was out, and she could recover.

It had been long, and painful, and she didn't remember much of it, thanks to pain drugs that kept her in a blissful sleep, where dreams of Colin and their time at Trentworth had comforted her. She had escaped any major infection and found the strength to pull through. The doctors had told her it would never really heal, though, and she would always carry it with her. It was only two months later, and the wound was still healing, although it was mostly closed. She still took mild pain relievers most days, especially to sleep, because by the end of the day her whole body ached. She was sore and weak and the nagging fear of what would happen didn't help. She sighed heavily as she paced, and winced. She had to remember not to do that.

Waiting.

It was terrible.

She continued her pacing, knowing they all were feeling the brunt of its effects. It seemed to be the five of them left, her, Gracie, Nicole, Katherine, and Ebony. Adele had missed Sirena's funeral due to her injury, and it was hard to remember even now that the vivacious redhead wouldn't just come bounding in with some crazy idea to divert their boredom. Ethan had been absent, leaving before she had woken up after her surgery, she hadn't spoken to him since he had given her jewelry the night before the Convicting. The other girls had told her he was in Lakedon, but that was all they knew. No one bothered to update them on the war effort either, all they knew was it was going badly, with most of the drafted men deserting, and the army being beaten.

It was a miserable existence. The vain part of her missed the servants and prestige and new gowns every day of the old Selection. They hadn't had new clothing or anything since the Convicting. The food was getting considerably less magnificent, although she was sure it was more than most people. But it scared her, to watch the monarchy fade like this.

She was sick of waiting. Waiting for something to happen, for an answer, for a change.

"If you're going to keep pacing, at least take off your shoes. You're driving me crazy." Ebony snapped. She was constantly getting on Adele's nerves these days, and Adele on hers.

"Go somewhere else." She fired back.

"We can't, we're stuck here."

"Then plug your ears."

Ebony ignored her with an eye roll. She had become more irritating, it seemed, although the other girls put up with her more, she infuriated Adele to no end. Nicole had also become more snappish, while Katherine had become sad and quiet, and Gracie had been nervous and jittery.

"Can you guys please stop bickering for once?" Nicole snapped the book she was reading shut. "I'm sick of it."

"Maybe we should just go to our rooms for a while?" Katherine suggested, "To get away from each other. We've been together so often we might need a break to keep-" She paused abruptly as shouting in the hallway broke the usual stillness of the palace these days, followed the sound of people in heavy boots—probably the few remaining guards.

"What's going on?" Gracie sounded very small as she folded her arms tightly around herself. Katherine put her arm around the younger girl to try to comfort her, but looked just as scared.

Ebony scoffed, and got up from her perch on the sofa and went to door, and opened it slightly.

"What's going on?" She asked the guard who was always posted outside.

"Nothing, Miss." He assured her quickly. "You are under no threat. Just stay put." He closed the door, blocking out the sound once again. Ebony shrugged and reclined back on the sofa and they all went back to whatever they had been doing.

Adele continued her pacing, but she couldn't shake the feeling that something was terribly, terribly wrong.

…

Waiting.

Endless waiting.

Nat's life had become just that in the last two months. Every time her maids came to deliver her meals, she held her breath, starved for news. Was she free to rejoin the Selection? Or was she being sent home? Had they found her guilty of treason and were they sentencing her to death?

And what about Ben? She assumed he was still imprisoned, somewhere in the palace since he was a high risk prisoner. Was he to die? Or would he be set free? Would she ever see him again?

She knew the barest details about the war; that the king had sent out armies and his sons to try to put down the rebellion. Had one of the princes been killed? Had they won? Had they lost? Had the rebels surrendered? Had they lost another province?

Too many questions, not enough answers.

It was driving her crazy.

The last two months of her life had felt like an eternity. She only saw her maids who brought her meals and cleaned her room, but they weren't even her usual ones. There were occasional guards who came to question her and who were stationed outside her door. Heavy drapes had been installed over the locked windows and shrouding the room perpetual half-darkness. She still dressed in gowns and heels and did her makeup and hair as if she was still part of the Selection.

After all, no one had told her she wasn't, anyway. Ethan hadn't spoken to her since the night of the Convicting, and neither had anyone else official. Not even the staff she saw could confirm anything. It seemed like no one knew these days.

Waiting.

It was terrible.

Not only were there too many questions, but Nat also missed her friends. Never in her whole life had she gone so long without seeing her twin and she was starting to feel the effects of being away from Nicole. She knew her room was just down the hall, but it wasn't the same. She wondered if Ethan had done anything else gossip worthy before he had left, or if anyone else had been sent home. For all she knew, he could have already picked a winner. Nat hoped Ben was okay. She couldn't stand not knowing.

And Sirena.

She didn't want to think about her friend's death. But she had to. Their last moments together replayed over and over in her dreams and in her head even when she was awake.

"_We should just stay here."_

"_What if they come back and find us…?"_

"_Okay, I trust you."_

Sirena had trusted her, and she made them leave. She had given Nat the opportunity to run and now she was dead. She hadn't even been allowed to go to her funeral.

Nat sat down on her bed, skimming her heels along the carpet. She was sick of waiting. Waiting for something to happen, for an answer, for a change.

And then, as if in reply to her thoughts, there was a sharp rap at her locked door. Three, firm knocks, startling her out of the sanctuary and silence of her room. It wasn't the light tap of the maids; these were of the guards.

Something was terribly, terribly wrong.

She couldn't open the door anyway since it was locked, and whoever was knocking opened it right up a few seconds after.

Two guards entered her room, dressed in the bright red uniforms. Usually they seemed a comfort, that they were keeping the royal family safe, but today, they seemed menacing and dangerous.

"Lady Natalia?"

"Yes?" She stood up, and lifted her chin. They knew full well who she was.

"You're under arrest for treason and conspiracy against the crown."

"I thought I already was."

"You were under house arrest in your room while the king and his advisors decided if you were guilty or not. You're being taken to the jails to await your trial. They'll decide your punishment then."

"But-"

They didn't listen to her. "You'll be leaving at once." One of them said, removing a pair of handcuffs from his pocket.

"I need to speak with Ethan. You can't do this. Only he can send a girl home."

"Not if she's under arrest. Not if the king orders it." The man sneered, and Nat wanted to cry. "Besides, he's not even here. Turn around, so we can escort you to your cell without making a scene."

She did as she was told, numbly. This was all wrong.

She should have said something.

...

Waiting.

Endless waiting.

Two months of being here, and no end in sight. Sometimes, when he thought about, it was hard to remember the things happening before that were from the same lifetime.

Mostly he tried not to think about it. He didn't want to think about Sirena. He didn't want to think about what would happen with Nat, or what he would say to Adele. He didn't want to think about how he would keep his promise to Katherine or how he could convince Nicole not to hate him. He didn't want to think about how he would face Gracie after leaving her so cruelly, or sort out his feelings for Ebony.

He didn't want to think about why they were fighting a war or how it would end. He didn't know what to think anymore.

Too many questions, not enough answers.

It was driving him crazy.

At first, part of him could think that these men had killed innocent people, and were responsible for Sirena's death. That they were threatening the country.

But it seemed so foolish now to even try. The monarchy and supporters of them were losing support every day. It had begun with the draft. Men were torn from their families to fight for a king who wasn't even in the best favor to begin with. They were hungry, without work, and had been that way for some time. So they tried to run, and the king ordered deserters to be shot.

And Mitch Levi was hiding away somewhere, probably in the harsh conditions of Yukon. His revolutionary propaganda showed up everywhere, to end the monarchy. He was offering safety from the draft, he was offering food, and he was igniting their passions.

The king's armies were losing men to desertion every day, and the rebels were just gaining them. Many of those who did stay were killed in the fighting. It seemed the whole country was overrun with their revolution now. Gangs of untrained fighters attacked the king's men in every city, more so in the Northern provinces. The main fighting took place initially in Yukon, the rebel army fighting the king's army. Day by day, the rebels gained more and more territory, moving southward. Over the last two months, they had taken Sonage and Baffin to the east of them, and then Atlin and St. George to the south.

Lakedon was considered the eastern front. With its access to the Great Lakes, and waterways to allow for supply lines, it would be foolish for Mitch to not want to hold it. Ethan had initially been sent there because of the large military base there, where he could be in control of the operations sent out from there. Now, every day the fighting grew closer and closer.

Waiting. It was terrible.

Ethan was stationed in the military command center of Lakedon. It was away from most of the fighting, a large former private residence, that before all this, had just housed the offices of the commanders, now where he lived and worked. Although now it mostly empty. Ethan stood at the window, watching the cold, gray skies for something. Anything. He was sick of waiting. Waiting for something to happen, for an answer, for a change.

He stared at the empty walkway around the building, knowing besides him and his assistant commanders, Parrish and Huntley, and two aides, and a handful of guards and a servant, the place was deserted. He shivered, always cold here. He had lived in the balmy warmth of Angeles for most of his life, and here, up in the Northeast, off the Great Lakes, it was cold and snowy this late in the year.

Nothing. Nothing at all.

With a sigh, he returned to his desk, laying out the plans he had to finish for their next move. Mitch's army was a lot of half-trained fighters, but they were fierce, and you never knew what to suspect from them. They had a cause. They knew what they were fighting for. His father's men were trained soldiers, but they were fighting to earn a paycheck, or because they didn't have a choice.

Somewhat like himself.

Ethan knew wasn't a trained commander. He knew a few things about war, but he hadn't even been sent to military school, as tradition for the non-heirs. He had no clue what he was doing. And somehow, he just kept thinking that his father had sent him here to punish him.

He rested his head against his head, and tried to focus, when he heard a muffled grunt outside the door. He looked up sharply, his task forgotten. No one was even supposed to know he was here. No one did know, except his family and the girls, and a few guards and personnel.

"Parrish?" He called out, knowing his assistant commander's office was right outside his.

There was no reply, only a thump against the wall.

Ethan felt the hair on the back of his neck prickle, and he slowly got to his feet, and crept towards the door. He had to get out of here.

Pressing his ear to the door, he strained to hear anything, but was only met with ominous silence. He eased it open. Something was terribly, terribly wrong.

He spotted two guards on the floor of the hallway, still. He didn't know if they were dead or not. Someone groaned, and he turned. Huntly, his other assistant commander, slumped against the wall, bound and gagged, shook his head wildly, and was trying to say something. Parrish was next to him, his head drooping in his chest, a gash on his forehead.

Ethan's spine tingled as he took in the situation. A third body, dressed in ratty clothes, was also on the floor of the hall. Someone had tried to get in. Someone knew he was here.

He quickly went to his men, his hands shaking. Huntly thrashed, his muffled protests becoming stronger.

They became apparent when something hit him in the head, and he crashed to the floor, pain washing over him in waves.

"You should take a hint, _your highness._" A sneering voice said. Something about it was familiar. "He was trying to warn you."

Ethan groaned, and tried to sit up, but his body refused to work. He let his cheek press against the cold wood of the floor, summoning strength. A pair of black leather combat boots appeared in front of him, and then they knelt down to reveal Mitch. "You know, they say if you're going to start a war, you better know what you're fighting for, Ethan. Don't worry. We're not here to kill you." The butt of his gun flashed briefly in front of his eyes, and then more pain and blackness.

…

**In my defense, it's much longer than usual. One of my classes is condensed into half the normal time, but it should be over soon and free up some more time! Hopefully writers block won't kill that time, though!**

**Don't forget to review! I always love to hear your ideas, theories, criticisms, and how I'm portraying your character! **

**-Shades**


	93. That I Should Rise and You Should Fall

**The Story: When you are a terrible person and you have really bad sleep habits. **

**Thanks to **delovlies, 4Love4Love4, Nameless, XOStarbrightXO, the5SOS-YAfangirl, UltimateMaxmericaShipper **for your lovely reviews and support! To my guest reviewer, I am sorry you feel that way, but it is just a fanfiction. I have no intent to publish this, so it can be as long as I want. I am focusing on many more characters than just one, like the originals, so of course it will be long. Thanks for reading anyway! **

**Please see my authors note at the end! Sorry for a rather depressing chapter….**

…

Ethan was gone.

Katherine had a feeling he was still alive, but for who knew how long?

The realization left a sour taste in her mouth, and bitter feeling in her stomach, and an ache in her head that simply would not go away. It left her panicked and frightened, starting at ever opening door and every passing guard. It left in her hands shaking and her blood running cold. It pulled her attention from every conversation and interaction, always on the edge of her seat, starved for news.

The palace grew quieter and quieter, and the only news they got was that the rebel armies were coming closer every day, defeating the crown's rapidly dwindling one. More and more servants were leaving, and things were so unlike how they had been before, it felt like another lifetime.

The evening meal almost felt like a mockery of what it had once been. Before, it had been a grand undertaking, requiring at least an hour to change into a new gown to make a statement, and redo hair and makeup, with at least three maids. There had once been thirty-five of them, all dressed and glowing to perfection, seated below the table of the royal family, with no fewer than twenty servers, not counting the cooks in the back. No dinner had ever had less than four courses, with Report cameras circulating, hoping to catch a glimpse of something juicy. Overtime, the number of girls had lessened, but none of the grandeur.

It was a far cry from what it had been. Katherine picked at her plate, not hungry. She was wearing a day dress she had worn many times before. They had not seen new gowns in a long time. She vaguely remembered wearing the white lacy dress on her first encounter with Ethan, during the interviews, before all this had happened.

Before the rebels had attacked Lissa's masquerade and they had been sent to Trentworth, lulled into false security. Before they had been attacked there, and sent back to the palace, cut to the Elite. Before Ebony had come, before the mobbing during the Report. Before the Convicting. Before the devastation wrought on them as one of their own was killed. Before the rebels had threatened their security one time too many. Before this horrible war. Before they had lost contact with wherever Ethan had been stationed, finding it completely abandoned.

Now, everyone sat at the same table. The Queen sat at one end, looking the same as she always did. She still required them to dress for dinner, and cast a critical eye over them as they entered. Katherine was now sharing one maid with Nicole and Ebony, and the poor girl had a million other things to do besides, but the servants were too scared to stay at the palace, and were leaving in mass numbers. The girls resorted to helping each other get ready for dinner, but they did not really bother much, just making sure they kept with the queen's code. Sophia was long gone, leaving after the day of the Convicting.

The other princesses, Christine and Michelle, were the same, putting on evening gowns to muster to the queen's standards, but openly defying it. Christine was a wreck, with Andrew gone, and Ethan missing. He could be next. She sat silently, barely eating, like most of the rest of them.

With the princes gone, usually the only male that joined them was the king, but tonight he was absent, in never-ending meetings with counselors, trying to learn of Ethan's whereabouts. The long banquet table was empty with only the eight of them. It used to hold all of the Elite, and the royal family. Only three servants had served their meal, which was only one course. Now, even the palace was experiencing the food shortages that had been plaguing the country for months. There were not enough cooks to prepare the meals they were used to eating, and they only still ate enough because they had money to buy it.

It seemed everything was falling apart. The room still glittered with gilding and the place settings were still crystal and silver, now marred by a coat of dust. Their gowns had been worn before and before that. Polite conversations were gone, replaced either by silence or snapping. The food was simple, and they were attended by only a few servants. The Report cameras and the Report with them were long gone, like the princes in service.

They had been told Nat's fate—she was in the prisons, accused of treason. Sirena was in the ground. Nicole was angry, but seethed with a silent anger, hardly speaking anymore.

Even Gracie had lost her nervous babbling. She seemed too scared, but now she seemed older, more composed. She still was as frightened as a mouse, but it was for good reason. They all were. Except maybe Ebony. The girl was on fire, spouting things that did not even make sense sometimes. Katherine had always thought she had been against the rebels, but these days, it seemed she was dead set against everything and everyone. She could be terrifying in her political rants, about how the king had done nothing to stop the rebels, and now they were destroying the country and it was everyone's fault.

Adele had changed, too. She wasn't the self-centered, always perfect drama queen. She seemed to know the importance of something, although she was just as upset. Christine was usually absent, and if she was in there, she was crying. Michelle was seemingly dazed, all her princess confidence gone. Only the queen remained the same, cold and unforgiving, and always perfect, pretending none of this existed.

She got up from the table, as if everything was normal.

"Good night, ladies." She said, as she always did when exiting for the night. The guard that accompanied her everywhere followed her out. The only sound of the room was the opening of the door, and then the closing. Heavy silence filled the room once more. After a moment, the princesses left together, their gowns whispering along the floor.

The remaining Elite looked up from their plates and silence. Katherine saw the same look on their faces as she felt inside—at least varying shades of it.

"I guess we should go too." She put her napkin down, the cavernous room suddenly feeling too vast in such uncertain times.

"Not even this feels normal anymore." Gracie said sadly, scooting her chair back. "I wish Ethan would come home."

"Oh, don't you ever stop with moaning the fact that he's gone?" Ebony leaned back defiantly in her chair, tossing her napkin on the table. "It's getting kind of annoying."

"Hey, leave her alone." Adele was quick to pounce back, for once in Gracie's defense. "She has enough to worry about, she doesn't need to put up with you too."

"Oh and what makes you think he's just hers to worry about?" Ebony smirked.

"You can have my share, Gracie." Nicole said sardonically.

"Besides, there's no point in worrying about him anyway. It's over. They'll probably tell us to go home tomorrow or something." Ebony stood up, and pushed in her chair.

"What do you mean?" Katherine asked her, ashamed of how soft her voice was these days.

"You can't have a Selection without a prince. He's dead. And if he's not, he will be soon."

"You don't know that." She said automatically. But it was more to convince herself then the former Seven sitting smugly before her.

"Really, think about it. You think he's still alive? It's been three days. He's the prince of Illea, his father is-"

"Yeah, yeah. We know. The guy who sat by and did nothing while your life was horrible and now declared a war tearing the country apart. We know, Ebony." Adele rolled her eyes, and somehow the act comforted Katherine ever so slightly, something of Adele was back, however small.

Ebony narrowed her eyes, and spoke, her voice icy. "And still you all do nothing to stop it. You just sit here in your ivory tower and look pretty and wait for your prince to come home, _when he never is_."

"Stop it!" Gracie shrieked, standing up so fast her chair fell over. "Just stop!" She repeated, her voice cracking. "It's not true. You're lying!" Her fists were clenched up into fists. "We're just girls, okay? We're just simple girls who weren't supposed to change the world. We're just simple girls in love with a prince. And he's not dead."

To her credit she didn't start crying until the end, and even then managed to keep everything but a few soundless tears in. Katherine reached for the younger girl's hand, giving her silent comfort.

"You're not the only one who is losing someone, Gracie." Nicole barked. "Stop feeling sorry for yourself."

"Why don't you stop feeling sorry for yourself?" Adele jumped in, standing. "Why can't you just leave her alone?"

Nicole scoffed. "Our _suitor _sent my sister to prison for something she didn't do! I have every right to feel sorry for myself!"

"And the boy she loves is gone!"

Nicole only glared, the gentle ballerina broken from her glass, burned and angry. And everyone would be in her path. At this point, Gracie did start to cry. Katherine wanted nothing more than to do the same, only in her room, alone.

"I wouldn't call it love." Ebony tossed her head triumphantly. "She doesn't know what love is."

"And you do?" Adele snapped back. "All you do is spout rhetoric about everyone."

"And all you do is get into everyone's business!" Nicole shrieked. "I'm so sick of it. I want to go home."

"Then why don't you?" Ebony sneered.

"Guys!" Katherine broke through. "Can we all just stop for one second?"

She should make an impassioned speech now. She should tell them to stop and to go back to normal and help each other. But she couldn't find the words, ones she might not believe herself.

Nicole stormed out, and one by one the other girls left too, not saying a word, leaving Katherine sitting by herself.

They were all falling apart.

…

For some reason, the emptiness comforted her. No one to see her, fallen from grace.

Nat stared into the darkness of the jail cell. It wasn't really a cell, more like a room. There was a cot behind a curtain, and a place to sit. It was sparse, but at least it was clean. The bars on the doorway led out into the hallway, occasionally patrolled by a guard. She didn't think she could leave, even if she wanted to. The guards who had taken her down here locked the barred door behind her, and left, without a word.

The prisons hadn't been built for dangerous prisoners. They were for public trials, for Convictings, and for political prisoners. Now they were a last resort, housing only two.

Two accused of treason, one of being a rebel, and one of spying.

One accused of being a coward, and letting her friend get killed.

As the sounds of the guards faded, Nat slumped against the wall. Maybe this was where she belonged. Maybe she should just stay here.

"I hoped you wouldn't be taken here." A voice cut through the emptiness. Ben.

"I hoped I wouldn't find you here."

"There are worse places. I deserve it."

"I deserve it too."

"I'm so sorry I told you. I'm sorry I let this happen." From the adjacent cell, Ben's voice became more desperate, and she heard a thump, probably him hitting the wall in frustration.

"I'm sorry I failed." Nat slid down the wall, and hugged her knees to her chest. "I should have told them."

"We should have stopped it. But I'm a rebel, Nat."

"And I'm a coward." Nat hugged her knees tighter, wishing she could meld into the wall.

"We didn't even need a rebellion. We just need a little bit of change."

"It's too late now. Everything is going to fall apart." She whispered into the shadows. "But no matter what happens, I'm glad to be here with you."

…

**Why this turned out so dark and sad, I don't know. I added Nat's POV at the end just to make the update a little longer, but it still feels short. Ah well, I just really really didn't know what to write, but I knew I had to elaborate on what I've been setting up. **

**Which leads me to an important announcement, one I regret to make…between school and work, I have little to no time, and what I do is when I'm so tired I can hardly even read a book, much less write. I have so many loose plot holes and the original plan I had for this story is not a direction I want to go it. I have writers block I can't seem to get rid of, and only generate crap like this. So yeah. I will be taking full time classes over the summer and combined with my work schedule and life in general, I think I am going to have to put this story on a long term hiatus. Yeah, I know, it sucks. I want to say I will be back, but I have no idea if I will get more time, or even know what to write. I have one more little chapter I want to add in, which should be up in a few days, but after that I have no plan. I hate to do this, but I think I have to. If you want to kill me for this, remember, you probably have done the same thing with one of your own stories. I'm so sorry guys :( **

**-Shades **


	94. A Fine Life

**The Story: When you meant to do an April Fools joke but can't do it in time…**

**APRIL FOOLS GUYS *CACKLING WITH SIS IN BACKGROUND* Don't worry; I am definitely not hiatus-ing any time soon with this story! In my defense **delovlies **made me do this. You guys were so sweet about it, though, I expected a lot more anger. But thanks for sticking with me even though I'm a jerk and put you through this twice now! Hopefully this little extra one-shot will make you forgive me 3**

…

The distant rumbling sounded like thunder, but Wesley knew it wasn't. And to know it was the sound of rebel armies coming closer and closer to the capital of Tammins everyday scared him more than he cared to admit.

First, it had been the fear of Mitch's army coming from Yukon, to Sonage, and then to St. George. And it had happened, and a lot faster than anticipated. Then it had been to Fennley, the province neighboring Tammins, and then the border. Each day, they were closer and closer. Once they reached the capital, it would be one more province out of royal control, and for a prince living and commanding in the military base, it probably meant death.

The city was in chaos. No one knew exactly what the rebels would do when they seized the city, so they were leaving in masses. Looters and criminals patrolled the streets, and any attempt to enforce law failed.

Wesley had been told he had to leave. On top of the approaching force, the compound in Lakedon where Ethan had been stationed had been apparently attacked, and now was abandoned, with his older brother's whereabouts unknown. So Wesley and Andrew, moved to Fennley after the rebels had taken Sonage, were being called home.

But first they had to get out.

It was weird, to look like a civilian. Wes couldn't remember not wearing something that wasn't high end or a suit. But it was kind of nice.

He was traveling with his two guards. They would leave the empty house in which Wesley had been living and working, his base of operations. And then they would just drive out of the city. The citizens of Tammins had not been informed that one of the princes of the country was in their capital, and for all everyone knew, all three were still in the palace. The rebels weren't here yet, but anger was mounting against the ineffective policies of the crown, and there could be violence if he was recognized or attracted undue attention. They didn't know who had taken Ethan, or if he was even still alive, but they didn't want to risk it happening again.

It was torture, knowing he was so close to Lissa, yet so far. But he was strictly forbidden to leave, much less make calls to one of Ethan's former Selected. He hoped she wouldn't find herself a target. She did live here, after all.

"Sir, it's time to leave." One of his guards reminded him. Wesley nodded. They were leaving in themorning. It would be suspicious to leave at night.

He stepped outside, alone. One of his guards, also dressed as a civilian was already in the car, and the second would follow in another car. It was colder here, in the north, especially in winter. They weren't in the mountains, so snow didn't fall much. He tucked his hands in the pockets of his sweatshirt, and pulled up the hood as the car pulled out of the driveway and made its way down the street. The windows weren't tinted, and it looked nothing like the official cars that were used at the palace. It was just a normal car, with two normal guys inside. Hopefully, with everyone else leaving, he wouldn't be recognized.

Or so he thought.

She recognized him the moment she saw him. As his car continued down the street, she was coming off of a residential side street, alone. Her gray eyes locked with his through the window, and she stopped so abruptly she almost fell over. Dressed in jeans and black wool jacket, she didn't look like the girl he had bid farewell to in the palace. But it was still her. It was still Lissa.

"Stop the car." He barked out, unbuckling his seatbelt.

"Sir, it would not be wise." His guard said.

"I don't car, stop the car or I'll get out while it's moving!"

The guard pulled over, and Wesley bolted out. He looked back to where he had seen her and for a moment, he was worried he was only imagining things and no one would be there.

But she was.

He crossed the street, knowing he wasn't supposed to. He didn't care. There was only her. She didn't move, her mouth slightly open as she watched him approach. The chilly wind blew her dark blonde hair into a frenzy, and still, she was beautiful.

He broke into a run, and she did too. When he reached her, she practically tackled him. He picked her up and spun her around in a circle, holding her tightly. He never wanted to let go.

"It is you." Her voice was filled with disbelief. "It's really you!"

"I found you." His whispered, burrowing his face in her hair.

"Wesley, what are you doing here?" She reached up, putting her hands on either side of his face, to reassure herself he was real.

"They sent me here. But they wouldn't let me leave. I would have come to you, if they let me."

"I don't doubt that for a second. But you shouldn't have stopped. These people, they're looking for someone to blame. If they recognize you…" She glanced around them, but the street they had been on was away from the main part of the city, and no one was around in the early morning.

"I don't care about that. All I care about is you. Lis, the rebels, they're coming."

"I know. But what can we do?"

"You have to leave. Just get out of the city. They may know you live here, and try to use you. Ethan's been captured."

Lissa gasped. "That means you could be too."

"I know. That's why I have to go back. I thought I wouldn't get to see you."

She hugged him tightly, leaning her forehead against his. "I've missed you so much."

"I've been barely breathing. But I'll come back for you. One day."

"You should go." She caught side of his guards, anxiously waiting for him to keep moving. "I can't keep you here any longer."

"Yes, but you can keep my heart." He teased. "You stole it once and now I can't get it back."

"It's safe with me." She smiled.

He looked hard into her eyes, brushing the hair out of her eyes. "I wish I could stay. I wish I could take you with me."

"Yeah, back to the palace, where I've been eliminated. It's okay, Wes. I'm happy here. Really. It just needs you."

Something twisted inside of him. He was a prince, and although she was a former Selected, she was just a normal girl now.

"I love you." He told her, holding both of her hands. "I love you so much." He kissed her, not caring who saw, or who cared. He wrapped his arms around her waist, the last few months of being without her making their way to the surface.

Reluctantly, he released her, holding her shoulders for just a few second longer.

"I love you, too." She whispered, grinning. "Now go."

Wesley backed away, reluctant to take his eyes off her. He crossed the street, to where the car was waiting, looking back one more time. She blew him a kiss, and waved.

As he got in the car, he knew he would see her again.

…

**Ahhh, short, but it's just meant to be a little begging for mercy oneshot. I will try to update faster now, but I'm not guaranteeing anything except I'm not on hiatus. Love you guys!**

**-Shades**


	95. Don't Die For Nothing

**The Story: The crappy thing about writing a whole fanfiction is that you can't really go back and edit things. Well, you can but it doesn't help your current readers. I am so sorry that lots of this plot has changed from the beginning, and all the leads I began and never really finished. You can pretty much only edit the current chapter. This chapter is kind of stemming from that, I had to fix things I had mistakenly started. It kind of sucks, but I'm going to have just be happy with it and post it, because it's been too long and this is just a fanfiction, not an actual published novel. Forgive me, loyal readers and new readers! **

**Thanks for reviews, **Lizcran, delovlies, Nameless, Guest, **and **Deeptha13**!**

…

He had to get out.

Get out, get her out, go far away, where no one could ever find them.

Colin wasn't supposed to be here. He wasn't a rebel, at least not like Mitch's men. He wanted to take over the monarchy, and kill anyone who stood in his way, and rule all for himself. History had shown countless times it didn't work.

He stood in the dark, dank compound, and clutched his rifle as he stood guard, and felt sweat drip of his face. He didn't even know if Adele was still alive at this point. When the rebels had come, he hadn't been able to leave her, only stay until she had blacked out again, and they had come and taken him away. He had tried to explain he wasn't worth anything to them, he had been taken prisoner and had been going to been Convicted, but he didn't believe in their cause.

He didn't want to change the world. He only fought for the corruption of Illea, but a war wasn't necessary to fix a broken system.

In the end, he had given up. Let them think what they wanted. He had his chance to escape. Mitch was planning to storm the palace, and take his power however he had to. He was a man possessed, to take on his father's legacy. But he had a goal. In some ways, he was less dangerous than his father, who just wanted to destroy the country. Mitch wanted the power for himself.

And he had his bargaining chip. One whose death would cripple the royal family, and many of those still supporting the country.

Colin shifted his feet, and didn't turn around to the prisoner behind him. In just a few days, Mitch had worked his way south to the Angeles border, his army growing every day with the desperate people of Illea. He had taken several key cities, crushing the strength of the people, since the closer one got to the palace, the areas had more support for the monarchy then elsewhere.

He had met resistance in the city of San Francisco, the closest major city to Angeles City, which housed the palace. This city was much larger and populated with more of the wealthy and monarchists. The streets had become a war zone as the citizens waged a bloody battle in the streets to fight back against the rebels

The Angeles province governor's home, a few miles outside of the city had been one of the first. Mitch had given orders to execute the man, since he was opposing the rebel's plans. To further prove his cruelty, the man's wife had been executed too, the two of them shot like common criminals in their front yard. He had spared the two daughters, aged thirteen and sixteen, but they had been forced to watch from the window, to prevent them from following in their father's steps.

The girls, along with his most important prisoner were on guard day and night in some of the empty rooms, waiting for death or something.

Colin had been assigned guard over Prince Ethan. He refused to look at the prince, part of him feared being recognized, but he knew he already been. And now he was what he had been accused of and sent to the Convicting. He had no love for the man, but he hadn't done any wrong, aside from having a Selection, and unless Mitch had been in madly in love with one of the girls—highly doubtful—the only reason to capture him was because he was using him as a tool.

He had someone on the inside, of this Colin had no doubt. He didn't know who it was, but there was no other way he could have known where the prince was stationed.

Ethan sat against the far wall of the room, his hands bound behind him. The furniture and everything in the room had been removed, for Mitch's use or something. The windows were bordered and even during the day, the room was dim. Colin knew Ethan was battered and bruised from the beating he had endured. He felt his eyes on him as he took up his position to begin his guard shift.

"I've seen you somewhere." The prince's voice rasped out. Colin knew he should hit him the butt of his rifle for speaking to him, but he didn't, just ignored him. They were both just kids, barely twenty. And Colin wasn't a rebel.

"You were the man who Adele was supposed to Convict."

Again, Colin did not respond.

"You know, she probably would have been imprisoned for life or killed if the rest of you hadn't attacked. For what she said. I guess she really loved you."

Loved. The way Ethan said it made Colin's stomach tighten into knots.

"She was the first girl I ever kissed. And I thought for a while I would marry her. But then she got shot and I was moved to Lakedon and now I'm here."

Colin swallowed, giving in. "Is she okay?" He asked, not looking behind him.

"I don't know. She was in surgery when I left. I heard she made it through, but that's it. Never thought she would fall for a rebel. Where did you meet her anyway?"

Colin leaned against the wall, and let the rifle rest against his shoulder. Trentworth. And I'm not a rebel."

"They why are you standing here guarding me?"

"Because they think I am. I can't get out."

"So are you?"

"No. At least not like them. I don't want to kill anyone to get power. I just want some things to change."

Ethan was quiet for a time.

"They're going to kill me, aren't they." He didn't ask it.

"If your father refuses to give up his power to Mitch, then probably. He's planning to raid the palace."

"So he'll kill everyone, then."

"If he does, he's going to lose quite a few supporters, especially if he kills the women—your mom and sisters, and the Selected."

"So what's he going to do?"

Colin chose not to respond. He had said too much already.

Ethan's voice slipped into a whisper. "How did they find me? No one was supposed to know where I was going."

"Evidently someone did. And if you don't shut up, I am going to have to enforce the rules and make you."

Ethan was silent.

After a while, Colin broke the rules one last time. "When they storm the palace, I'm making my escape. I'm taking Adele with me. I just thought you should know."

"That probably was against the law. Before. But I think she'll be safer with you. Just do something else for me."

"What?"

"Nat. If my father sent her to prison, get her out. She was my friend, but I think I believe her now. Get her boyfriend out, too, if you can. I think his name was Ben. He wasn't a rebel either. The two of you should get on well." Ethan shook his head. "Listen to me. Telling someone to let prisoners of the crown go…if my father could hear me." His voice softened, and once again, he was quiet.

Colin shifted his rifle to the other shoulder. "I'll do it." He checked to make sure the other guards weren't making their rounds. "If Mitch has his way, Illea will never be at peace."

…

They were coming.

It had only been a matter of time until it happened again. Only this time it wasn't just a mob on the Report. This was the full scale of the rebel army. They had Ethan. And now they were coming to bring down the monarchy.

Nicole woke up, with the distinct feeling of something wrong. In the last few months, the never sleeping palace had been in a perpetual state of sleep—empty of servants running back and forth on some errand, empty of glamour and the whisper of gowns over the floor, empty of guards who had failed to protect the royal family, empty of visiting dignitaries and Report cameras…empty of peace.

She had slowly grown used this quiet. But it suddenly changed. There was faint shouting, and distant booming. Lights, usually glowing softly from Angeles, were blazing out her window. Nicole sat up quickly, freezing. It was unusually cold in the palace, which just unnerved her all the more.

For days, they had heard snatches of conversation from the handful of remaining servants and guards about Mitch's army drawing closer and closer to the palace. But now they were here. For a moment, it scared her more that no one outside in the hall was moving, and all she could hear was the approaching rebels. She wanted to pull the blankets over her head and hope it would go away, but that was just a fantasy.

Someone banged on her bedroom door, and threw it open, revealing one of the two maids that the remaining Elite all shared, in a nightgown, her hair flying everywhere.

"Lady Nicole, you have to get up!" The girl shrieked. "The rebels are coming!" She left as abruptly as she had entered, and ran down the hall, the door banging behind her

With her worst fears confirmed, Nicole allowed herself to clutch the blankets a little tighter for two more seconds, steeling herself. Then she threw them back, and scrambled out of bed.

She grabbed her robe and threw it over her shoulders before dashing out after the maid. She slid her arms into the sleeves and hurried to the staircase, catching sight of Gracie coming out of her room a few doors down, and followed her.

But she stopped in her tracks halfway down the stairs. The great glass windows above the main doors showed a scene that terrified her. At the palace gates, throngs of people and torches of some kind massed. Just like when they had cut their feed into the Report.

The people parted, allowing a truck to drive through. The truck slammed against the gates, easily breaking them down and allowing the people to come. But this wasn't a mob. These people weren't just people, Nicole realized. They were marching. They were soldiers.

And they were coming.

She ran the rest of the way down the stairs, barefoot. The only thing her brain could think of was that she should have gotten dressed.

Everyone, it seemed had congregated in the Main Hall, everyone being the remaining Selected, her, Gracie, Katherine, Ebony, and Adele; the royal family, minus Ethan, of course, although the other two princes had returned, and the remaining servants, about ten of them, and twelve guards. Everyone else had left long before it had come to this.

"Are we not going to the safe rooms?" Nicole whispered to Katherine.

"I guess not." She whispered back. The faint rumble of the approaching rebels was growing louder and louder, the only other sound was the king speaking with the two guards who were the highest up left, and Christine crying softly. When Andrew had returned, she had announced that she was pregnant, the reason for all the crying.

"He doesn't want us to run and hide." Adele said. "He's just going to let them walk in and kill us, I guess."

"They're not going to kill us." Ebony told them. "We're just girls." Unlike the rest of them, she had stopped to put on the dress she had been wearing earlier in the day, and flats, whereas the other four were just in nightgowns and various wraps.

"How can you be sure?" Gracie wrapped her arms tightly around her skinny frame.

"Well I suppose I can't be." Even in an emergency, Ebony was being generally awful.

They were getting closer. Small objects pelted the doors and windows, and they heard several break in the side rooms.

"We should really be going!" Gracie gasped, trembling.

The guards moved in front of everyone else, but they wouldn't stop much.

The noise outside the doors grew louder and louder. And then all the sudden, it stopped.

With a boom, the doors were thrown open, and Nicole knew that when they opened again, things would be turned upside down in Illea.

She half expected a mass of people to enter and shoot them all dead in seconds, but the only person was Mitch Levi, flanked by several others she did not know.

He laughed.

"I thought you might make it a little harder to get in the walls." He smirked. "What, is this all that's left here?" He nodded in their direction. "Pleasure to see you again, ladies."

His tone made her skin crawl, the way he acted if nothing was wrong. As if everything was just fine.

"What do you want?" The king asked back, confidently. Also as if nothing was wrong.

"Well, I should think it obvious." He nodded to one of his men, who took up position around the Main Hall. "I want your rule. I have taken the north of your country, and continue to move south. In a matter of time, we will have taken the east too. Your men keep deserting your army. Even your servants have left." He shrugged nonchalantly. "I have even taken your palace now."

"And tell me why I should just give up my throne?"

"Because if you don't, your son will die. As simple as that." He nodded again, and the soldiers behind him parted. Two more came up, and between them, they were half-dragging, half leading Ethan. Bound and gagged, he refused to look at her or anyone aside from his father. Dried blood caked on his nose and lip, and his left eye was blackened, his lip split open.

"If you don't, he'll have to die, in front of his ladies, at that, and then I'll kill them if they don't want to join me. And then the rest of you, even if they do decide to stand with me, they're still of royal blood. And then I'll take the throne for myself. I'll finish your armies and take the east and then it will all be over. Or you can give it up now. Your choice. But first,"

He nodded again, and his men came up closer. "We'll have some formalities and they can wait somewhere else."

Seizing the queen first, the rest of the men took the princesses and Wesley by the arm, and led them back down the hall. Another took her tightly by the arm, and dragged her and the remaining Elite after them.

Nicole held her head high, and didn't struggle. What was the point anymore? Only the king, Prince Andrew, and Ethan remained, along with the threatening presence of the rebels. They passed the Great Room, still boarded up, the glass walled west wall leading to the gardens still shattered and broken, the room still a mess. They were taken to the dining room, and told to sit and wait, while the perimeter of the room was guarded.

It was all so much to think about, so much to process. Nicole could only sit numbly in the dusty dining room. No one made a sound, they all sat there. The queen held chin up high, as if daring someone to take her power away.

It seemed like hours, before something happened. There were shouts and cheers outside the room, and then the king was brought in by five men, followed by the elder two princes, Andrew now bearing a bloody nose. Mitch entered after them, his hands behind his back. The men did not release the king or the princes as they had done to the women, but held him in place. Mitch sauntered to the king's place, and sat down casually. He put his boots up on the table, and let out a contented sigh.

"I could get used to this." He remarked. "Some servants, some beautiful women." He eyed the ladies of the Selection, and then laughed. "Alas, it's too late for you lovely things. Where is the other one? Your sister?" He looked at Nicole and she quickly looked away. "The girl in love with one of my best men. Did you kill him?"

He looked to the king. No one said a word. "Oh, and we can't forget your passionate speech, Adele, is it? I would offer you a place with my rule, but you hold ties to the old one. I guess that brings me to what I was going to say. The king has excepted my terms to abdicate. However, if I kill you, it might make me extremely unpopular, and I can't have that. So we'll be moving you."

He moved his feet from the table, and stood up. He nodded to the guy who appeared to be his second in command. "Alright. Have what you want. This is the new monarchy. But leave the old one to themselves." Most of the guards left then, leaving them with just a handful.

After a few seconds, there was even more cheering and yelling, and then the sounds of the palace being razed and looted were unmistakable. Mitch smirked.

"The old monarchy is dead." He said as he left the room.

"Long live the new!" Came the answering cry.

He locked the doors behind them, and took the last shred of Illea's hope with him.

…

**Nothing much to say, except still not my best work : ( **

**But I need your help, guys! I'm pretty much in a slump for everything, so if you want to add any music, book, movie or TV show suggestions onto your review, I will greatly appreciate it! **

**-Shades **


	96. It's All For My True Love

**The Story: Remember when I thought 1000 words was an acceptable chapter length? Yeah, sorry about that. This one is only 3000, but better than nothing, right? **

**Thanks to reviewers **fivesauce'n'YAbooks **(x2**!), XOStarbrightXO, delovlies, Nameless** and **guest!

**Again, this isn't my best work, but alas, I'm taking summer classes and they start this week, so I'm trying to get this out. Sorry it took so long, again! I kept getting into scenes that wouldn't sort themselves out and needed to be rewritten! And of course, Netflix….**

…

It was a new day.

The sky outside windows slowly lightened, and with it, the noise outside the walls of dining room did too. Gracie finally felt safe to breath. Sort of.

It had been the longest night in the world. After Mitch had brought the now former king back into the room, and let his men lose to raze the palace, Gracie had been terrified. Endless noise, of the palace being destroyed. She almost was more scared to leave the room, when the rebel soldiers came for them.

_He said he wasn't going to kill us though. _Gracie stole a look at Ethan. No one was allowed to speak to one another, the few guards who had remained with them in the dining room had made it clear early on. Wesley had tried to speak to Ethan, to assure himself of his brother's well-being, and the man guarding him had knocked him unconscious with a hit from the butt of his gun.

He had come to, about an hour later, a knot on his head, and appeared to no worse for wear. Gracie almost envied him, comatose through the terror.

She ached to assure herself that Ethan was okay. He looked terrible, he was obviously hurt. He only sat hunched in a corner of the room, half obscured from view by the rebel guards. She just wanted to be in his arms, and feel safe against his chest. To tell him what he had refused to hear before he had left and then been captured. That she loved him and wanted to be his wife.

She might never have the chance.

The doors opened again, bringing in Mitch and several of the same men from the night before, probably his generals of sorts.

"Are you going to keep us locked in here forever?" The king voiced his malcontent easily.

"I very well could, you abdicated." Mitch shot back. "But no, of course not. You'd only be in the way. I'm sending you—well, of course I can't tell you. But you are welcome to leave here, now, and gather your things. You will be leaving in the next hour. I'll worn you now, any attempt to escape will result in your death."

He spoke so casually, and it made Gracie want to cry. Why was this such a game to him? What was he doing to them? Where were they going?

The others picked themselves up and followed the rebel soldiers out into the Main Hall, each looking as confused as she felt. She wrapped her arms around herself, very aware of the fact that she was only in her nightgown and robe. Adele, Nicole, and Katherine were too, only Ebony had thought to dress.

The Main Hall was a jumble of disarray. She thought back to leaving after the attack on the masquerade, and after the mob on the Report, and the Convicting, and realized how eerily similar this was. No bombs had gone off this time, only the spirit of men who had staged a revolution. Things were broken, looted and a mess, but it could be fixed and cleaned up. The thing that made this time so different was the fact that no servants were cleaning anything up, and the guards taking them back to their rooms weren't doing it to keep them safe, but to keep them from escaping.

The royal family went up to the third floor, while the five remaining Selected stopped at the second floor. It was unnerving for the soldiers to follow them everywhere.

Gracie entered her room, trying to find some solace in the familiarity. Apparently, the rebel soldiers had not found much interest in the guest bedrooms or their closets filled with gowns. Some things were knocked off the beside tables, and her curtains had been ripped off a window, and a few gowns pulled from their hangers, just for the sake of destruction.

Her jewelry, however, was all gone. That was okay. She probably didn't need it anyway, wherever they were going. Not that she knew anyway. She didn't even know what to bring. It would have been nice to have her Convicting jewelry that Ethan had given her, but she figured there were more important things than having a necklace. At least he was alive.

Gracie sat down on the floor, and wanted to cry. Nothing made sense anymore! She was supposed to be in the Selection, not packing her things to be sent somewhere by some rebel pretender. It wasn't supposed to happen like this. It never should have happened like this. But it was, and there was nothing she could do to stop it.

_Tears won't get your things packed. Mitch might shoot you or something if you aren't ready. _She told herself, and set to work, blinking back watery eyes. She didn't want to think about that.

A knock on her door admitted the maid she had been sharing with the Selected these last few months, who had woken her. She was dressed in her maid's uniform now, her hair still a mess, and she sported an angry bruise on her cheek, and her eyes were red.

"Here's your suitcase, Lady Gracie." She said, and then covered her mouth. "I'm not supposed to call you that anymore."

"It's okay, Claire." Gracie took the small suitcase, more upset by the loss of her title than she cared to admit. "Is this it?"

"Mitch—the new king, that's what he said you were allowed to bring." Claire stuttered, refusing to meet her eyes.

"Oh. Well, once you help Katherine and Nicole, will you come help me? I'll get everything I want to bring out."

"I'm sorry Lad—I mean, miss. He said I wasn't supposed to help you pack. Or dress for that matter. I should go." She started to curtsey, and then stopped.

"Oh." Gracie repeated. "Are you coming with us, Claire? Wherever we are going?"

Claire looked over her shoulder nervously, and Gracie saw a rebel soldier, hand on his gun, watching her every move.

"I don't know, miss. I don't know what's going to happen. I really have to go." She wiped her eyes, and fled from Gracie's presence, leaving her alone with the single suitcase.

When they had gone to Trentworth, she had no fewer than five full size suitcases, specially designed to keep her gowns from wrinkling, packed by her three maids. This suitcase was about the size of the one she had used on the few vacations she had gone on before being Selected. And it made her sad, to think of all the beautiful things she would leave behind.

She wasn't Lady Gracie anymore. She was a symbol of the former monarchy, and for that she had to be taken into exile. King Jackson was a traitor to his realm, and Mitch was king now. The country had been plunged into a bloody civil war, and she was upset about suitcases.

Gracie went to her closet, brushing her hand over the silks and chiffon. She found the blue and silver gown she had worn to Lissa's masquerade, and wondered where her fairy accessories had gone. The lavender gown she had worn to the interviews, where she had promptly fainted upon meeting Ethan. The short pink dress she had worn during the baking disaster, and the tea length one for hosting the foreign dignitaries. The sky blue evening gown she had donned to present her philanthropy project, where she had revealed her short hair. It had grown again, almost to her shoulders now. One of many pink dresses she had worn on the Report. The gorgeous mock wedding gown she had worn for the magazine shoot, with long lace sleeves and full skirt. Her Convicting gown.

Would she need these, where they were going? In the end, she decided to abandon the ball gowns, since they took too much room. She packed what she could, mostly day dresses and several evening gowns, and as many of the simplest skirts and blouses as she had, which were not many. She rolled them up tightly, and smashed them into the suitcase, stuffing in shoes and books in between. She only had one pair of flats besides her riding boots, but she did not know what she would need where they were going.

Gracie brushed her hair, and braided it, and put on a little mascara, and put on a cardigan over a more conservative sky blue dress. _Might as well look my best. For whatever happens. _She put on her lowest pair of heels, picked up her suitcase, ready to go.

Whatever happened, she would face it like a lady. Mitch may have taken her title, but it didn't matter. He couldn't make her leave Ethan, or love him any less.

…

He couldn't get to Adele.

Colin tightened his grip on his gun, gritting his teeth amidst cries of _long live the revolution _and _down with the old king. _He wasn't one of them. He wasn't a rebel, he didn't want this kind of revolution.

It was a coup d'état, in its simplest sense. Force the king to abdicate and give up his power, so another man could take his revenge for the death of his father, and terrorize the people with propaganda and violence into siding with him.

It was a small stroke of mercy, that killing the former royal family and the Selected would make him lose some of his support, for many viewed them as innocents. So they were being taken into exile. Colin didn't know where, but he did know he had to get Adele, and get out of there.

The only problem was she was locked in the dining room with the rest, under guard, and the other rebels were given free rein of the palace, in celebration of Mitch's success.

All they could think of doing was destroy anything they could and drink themselves into oblivion. Colin's plan was in tatters, and he knew it, as he raised his own cries, voicing his own praise to the new king and pretended to join in the celebration. At some point, they would have to let the former royals out, to get them to transportation, or perhaps they would be allowed to pack their things. It was his only hope to get Adele.

As for what the former prince had said, he didn't know. Ethan was returned to his family, rather worse for wear, but Mitch had kept his end of the bargain. He had asked Colin a favor…to free one of the top rebel spies and a former Selected, imprisoned for treason. He had said something about them being useful to his cause, but right now, Colin only wanted to get Adele out of Mitch's control and get far away.

"Are ya not drinking, Colin?" One of the rebels, a kid who had been locked in the jails with him the nights leading up to the Convicting, asked. Thomas Fraser couldn't be more than eighteen, generously given. He sported an ugly scar on one side of his face now, it had been a gash during that long night. His dad was supposedly one of Mitch's right hand men, and he was constantly trying to earn himself glory.

Apparently, drinking himself drunk was his way of doing so tonight. He swayed quite unsteady on his feet, and slung his arm around Colin's shoulder, heaving most of his weight on him.

"Maybe later. I may want to remember tonight." Thomas was one of the few rebels Colin didn't hate.

He sunk more of his weight on Colin, and laughed, although he was so intoxicated, it came out more of a giggle. "Never thought it would actually happen. Can't believe it did."

Colin tried to shove the kid off his shoulder, without him noticing. He didn't, instead stumbling into wall, laughing at himself.

"Weren't you supposed to be guarding the prison cells?" Colin asked, sitting back down on the steps of the grand staircase.

"I was." Thomas slurred. "But I can't take being down there no more. Too many bad memories."

"Mitch'll have your head if he finds out the prisoners went unguarded."

"My father won't let him. 'Sides, theys prisoners of the old king. We should let them go." He fumbled in his pocket and tossed Colin a ring of keys.

"Not until Mitch says otherwise. Get back down there." Colin nudged the kid with the butt of his gun, but he had already passed out.

He got to his feet. Maybe Ethan was right. Maybe he should let those two go. Maybe all of them, just to prod Mitch. He found his way down to the lowest level of the palace, aside from the safe rooms, where he had spent several long nights after staging a rally in Angeles and being arrested, before being brought before Adele, where all hell had broken lose.

There weren't as many prisoners here now. Then it had been filled to the brim with all manner of suspected rebels-servants and guards, even a few of the council. A few of his comrades, who had staged the counter-rally, against the rebels and the crown. Several actual rebels, being held for the Convicting. They were gone, but most of the others remained. With Thomas gone, they remained unguarded. Colin saw none of his own supporters. There had been few to begin with.

He did see the former Lady Natalia, though. She had been placed in probably the nicest cell, and had been provided a cot and a few other things, instead of the ground. She looked up at the sound of his footsteps through the bars, still garbed in a long gown more suited for dining with the king than sitting in a cell. A flicker of recognition flashed across her features, but she looked down again upon guessing his allegiance. He had worked in the palace and Trentworth, so it didn't surprise him that she had seen him.

He checked his gun to make sure it was loaded, and took up position by the exit.

_What am I doing down here? _He asked himself. _Any minute now, and I could have my chance to get Adele. _

Perhaps there was some truth to Ethan's words after all. He dug the keys Thomas had given him out his pocket, and studied them.

He wasn't supposed to worry about anyone else. Just the girl he loved, and his family. He should just leave now, and let Thomas take his rightful punishment.

He just wanted to go home, and take Adele with him. To see his mother and hear her sing as she worked, to bring his father and brother back, before they had been taken in the draft and killed in fighting. To see Viola happy again, and let Eleanor have nice things. And Jack. He wanted his little brother to be better again, to see him play and laugh and smile again. Just like it was for a while. Only this time, he would bring his girl with him. A girl he never should have met, and somehow did and somehow fell in love with her and she with him, and somehow lost her.

Home wouldn't be the same. Not unless he did something.

He couldn't just leave the rebels. They thought he was one of them, in their eyes he was. Desertion was guilty of death. It wouldn't be like it used to be. He would be hunted down and killed, not before living like a wanted man. He didn't want to give Adele that kind of life.

There had been a time when he wanted to change Illea—not as much as the rebels and their revolution, but the monarchy was getting more and more corrupt, and were ignoring the pleas of the common man. But after being wrongly arrested and then claimed as a rebel by their own, that desire had been burned out of him.

Or so he thought. But standing in the palace prisons, he knew that if he did nothing, then all his work before would be for nothing, he and Adele could never live a life of peace, and Illea's civil war would bring the country to its knees.

_No. _ _I will fight. For my country, for my family, and for the girl I love. _

He strode to Lady Nat's cell, and she looked up sharply. He pulled a random key from the ring and tried it. It didn't fit so he pulled another, and another.

"What—what are you doing?" She asked, standing quickly with a rustle of fabric. Her hair was a mess, just like the rest of her, except her gown. "What's going on?"  
"If I let you out, will you help me?" He spoke softly, so the other prisoners could not hear, in case Mitch would later question them.

"I—I don't understand. Who are you?"

"My name is Colin." He tried yet another key, but it didn't work. There were at least a hundred on the ring.

"Are you a rebel?"

"Not exactly. They think I am, but I'm not. Don't make a mistake, though, I've no love for the king either."  
"So you're in between?"

"I guess you could say that." Colin was met with another wrong key. He cursed, and continued to try another one. "I need your help. Yours—and Ben."  
Nat met his eyes, her brow crinkling. "Doing what?"

Colin hesitated, and then tried another key. "Uh, I haven't quite worked that part out. But I know you can." The key turned, and he couldn't fight back a grin. "So, what will it be?"

"If it gets me out of here, then why not." She smiled slightly, and stepped forward. "You were the man Adele was supposed to Convict, weren't you." She stated. "And she stood up for you."

"I need to get her away from Mitch. He's taken the palace. The king has surrendered his power."

Nat stepped out of the cell, looking stricken. "I didn't know it was that bad." She said softly.

"Can you just show me where Ben's cell is?"

"The next one over." She followed him over, to where a dark haired guy was standing.

"You guys weren't being very quiet. I'll help you, too. Anything that gets me out of here."

Colin began searching for the right key. "So, you were a rebel."

"I was. But not anymore. I started working to stop them. They're going to destroy the country. I just wanted a little bit of change." Ben said, tightening his grip on the cell bars.

Colin smirked. "I think we'll get along well."

"So what do you call yourself, and your ideas?"

"I dunno, some sort of…. counter-revolutionary." The key turned, and Ben shoved the cell door open, anxious to get out of there. He and Nat embraced quickly.

"So how are we going to get Adele?" Ben asked.

"I'm still working on that. But I'm going to to need help."

…

**I know the last book just came out but please no spoilers! I haven't read it yet! **

**Another stupid request for my quest reviewers, but if you don't already, could you leave some sort of name (doesn't have to be your real name of course, just something!) So I know if it's the same or different person each time? Thanks so much! **

**I'd love to know your predictions and more importantly, what you want to happen! And thanks for all the suggestions! Please please please review!**

**-Shades**


	97. Live and Die Here

**The Story: When you finally get to a point in the story you've been waiting forever to write and then can't write it because you have all these great ideas for what you could have done instead or what you will do…**

**Once again, many apologies for the late and rather crappy update. In between work, class, Netflix distractions and a terrible case of writer's block, this didn't get done quickly. I'm so sorry! Thanks for the reviews, as always, **delovlies, UltilmateMaxmericaShipper, fivesauce'n'YAbooks, Nameless, Lizcran, and XOStarbrightXO**! And **Pandeuni **for the follow! **

…

"_I don't know what's going to happen. But whatever does, I'll find you. Someday." He rested her forehead against hers, his voice cracking. "And we'll go somewhere where they won't ever find us. Somewhere far away. Where it's just us and we don't have to hide." He looked her in the eyes, his hands on either side of her face. "I promise. I won't let this be the end. Because I love you, Adele Warren." _

Someday. Someday. Someday.

Adele repeated the words in her head, over and over. He promised her would find her. But as the days slipped by, it was harder to believe. The rebels had taken him away. Who knows what they had done to him.

She followed the other girls down the main staircase, suitcase in hand. They were leaving. And she couldn't believe it. Almost a year ago, when her car had driven her up with girls long eliminated, she didn't think she would make it this far. She didn't think she would fall in love with a Seven. And never in her wildest dreams did she think Illea would fall or the Selection would end with their exile.

She paused at the bottom of the steps, wanting to take in the Main Hall one last time. She saw the doors leading to the Great Room, the Woman's Room, the dining room…it looked the same, mostly. A broken vase, the floor scratched, and graffiti on the walls proclaiming Mitch the new king. But it had been home for the last year.

But not anymore.

"Move along, now." The gruff voice of one of the rebel soldiers acting as their escort guards startled her, and she followed the rest of the Selected down the Main Hall. She hadn't seen Ethan since they had been escorted out of the dining room, where he had refused to meet her eyes. She probably deserved it anyway. If it wasn't for Mitch and his revolution, her indiscretion to the prince she was here for anyway would come to light and she would be accused of treason.

They crossed the threshold of the main doors, leading out onto the front terrace. She hoped it wouldn't be for the last time.

It was a terrible sight outside. There were even more graffiti out here, splattered over the exterior of the palace and the walls surrounding the grounds. The beautiful pane windows that overlooked the Main Hall were shattered, glass littering the steps everywhere. She hadn't been outside since the Convicting, and for the first time, she saw the effects of the lack of staff. The fountain was off, full of brown sludge and algae. The once perfectly mowed lawns were overgrown and muddy from where the rebel's vehicles had ruined it. Weeds were everywhere where there had been flowers. Instead of the guards that used to stand post outside, there were the comatose rebel soldiers, passed out from a night of drinking to the new king.

Everything was changing.

There were two trucks idling on the driveway, both used for transporting food. The back hatches were open, and they were empty. The rebel soldiers led the five of them to one, and Adele assumed the other would be for the royal family. At least the former royal family. Gracie and Katherine hefted their suitcases inside the truck without a struggle, and scrambled in. Nicole took one last look behind her and followed suit. Ebony sighed, and was about to do the same, when they heard shouting back in the palace.

"What's going on?" Gracie asked, shifting to her knees to see better. Katherine stood up, and tried to climb down.  
"Stay in there. You girls—get in." One soldier barked. And then they ran off into the direction of the shouting, back inside the palace, and left them alone.

_This is my chance. Just run, and don't look back. _She looked to the gate, bashed open. She could just run out. Sure, she was wearing heels, it was all they had, but she could take them off.

"Come on." Ebony grabbed her elbow. "We'll be safer in here."

Adele pulled her arm back. "Do you think we'll be safe anywhere?" She looked at Katherine, Nicole and Gracie. "It would be so easy to run now."

"Are you crazy? We'll be caught!" Katherine exclaimed.

"Well, maybe I am." She was about to yank off her shoes, when the last person she expected ran out onto the steps of the palace.

Colin. He wore the rebel's black uniform, and carried a rifle, but she didn't have to ask him to know he wasn't one of them. He caught sight of her, and made a move to come towards her, but gunshots from inside drew his attention. Two more people came out after him, one also wearing a uniform, but the other, a girl, was wearing an evening gown.

On the palace steps, Colin and his two comrades were still firing back inside, taking cover behind the great marble pillars. They gave cover to the girl and she bolted out of sight, towards the gardens and the back of the palace.

"Nat!" She heard Nicole scream, and the girl in the gown turned to the voice. It was Nat. Nicole got out of the back of the truck, ripping her skirt in her haste, and tried to run to her sister, but the rebels were faster. They grabbed her before she had taken two steps, appearing out of nowhere, not the guards that had left them a few minutes ago. Nicole tried to kick her way free, but the two men held her fast, lifting her up off her feet. They forcibly pushed her back into the hatch of the truck, earning several kicks in the stomach and scratches.

And she would be next. Adele wanted nothing more than to be thrown into the truck and not see what would happen and hide from the flying bullets, but she knew if she did, she might never see Colin again. She took off, kicking off her heels as she ran back to the heart of danger, back to the palace.

It was stupid, and yet somehow, she expected it to work. _Stupid, stupid, this is so stupid. It'll never work._ She sprinted across the lawn, her heart racing and her lungs burning. She hadn't run in a while, and she knew it was only a matter of time before someone caught up to her.

The gunshots were less and less frequent until they stopped- she supposed the targets had been hit. Colin and the guy with him seemed to be okay. As soon as she got close enough, she shrieked his name as loud as she could, running up the steps. He turned his head, and jumped to his feet.

The only thing her brain could force her to do was dive into his arms. It probably wasn't the smartest thing to do, but it was the only thing. She buried her face in his shoulder, trying to hold back the tears of relief.

"You came."

"I promised I would."

And that was all the time they had, that brief moment, before someone yanked her backwards, so she fell down the steps, only to be hauled up again to her feet, this time with a gun to her head.

"Would it really have been worth it, Adele?" Mitch's voice was grating in her ear as he held her by her hair. She tried to see where he had come from but struggling only earned her a painful yank to her hair, the barrel of the gun smashing into her temple. "Would it really have been worth it, for him?"

She knew it would have. But she wouldn't give Mitch the satisfaction of answering. So he continued, his voice and his stupid words sending shivers up her body.

"He is one of us, sweetheart. I hope you know that. He may try to tell you he isn't, but he'll always be. He's just like us."  
She kicked her legs again, wishing she still had her heels on so she could kick him harder. She just wanted to get away. Mitch twisted her arm painfully behind her back and kneed her spine. She saw that one of the many rebel soldiers who had arrived with Mitch were holding the other guy.

"Let me go." She spoke through gritted teeth. He could end her life at any moment. "You don't need me."

"Ah, but that's where you're wrong. You represent the old monarchy. You're a threat. And so is anyone who defies my rule. But it won't matter if they get killed."

He threw her to the ground, but Adele caught herself before she rolled down the steps. Her elbows and knees burned as they scraped against the stone of the terrace. By the time she looked up, he had Colin at gunpoint, held by the arms by two of his men.

"So let me ask you something, Adele. Do you love Ethan?"

Adele didn't answer. Of course she did, but if she admitted it, he could use that against them both. Angered, he stepped forward, and hit Colin with the side of pistol across the face. He grunted, and only didn't fall because the soldiers held him up. He glared up at Mitch, his lip split open and bleeding.

"Do you love him?" Mitch yelled it this time, and didn't wait for her answer before hitting Colin again, breaking his nose. "Do you love him? Or do you love this man?"  
"Stop it!" She begged, pushing herself to her feet. "Just stop it!" He did it again, and again, so the soldiers had to hold Colin up, his face battered and bloody. She was crying now, _what a pathetic creature you are. _

"Do you love Ethan?!" Mitch paused only to scream at her. He prepared to hit Colin again, and the words burst out of her.

"Yes, I love Ethan!" She cried, and a sob broke through. She tried to look at Colin, to tell him it wasn't true, but he wouldn't meet her eyes.

Finally, Mitch stopped, and smiled at her. "Good. Then I suppose you'll be coming with him." He nodded to the soldiers holding Colin and they forced him to his knees. "Say goodbye." He smirked at her, and cocked his pistol, aiming it at Colin.

For a moment, the boy she loved stared defiantly up at usurper king, struggling against the soldiers. And then he stopped, and let his head drop.

"Colin, no." She yelled. "No! Fight, Colin. This isn't you!" She tried to run to him, but another soldier grabbed her. She could only cry.

"Maybe she did love you, maybe she didn't." Mitch smirked. "It won't matter anymore."

"No!" She cried weakly, thrashing to get away. "Stop!"

Several things happened at once. Two gunshots went off, and Adele couldn't help but scream, before she realized neither of them had been Mitch's gun.

It was Nat, riding a horse. She was rather a ridiculous sight, in her evening gown that had seen better days, her hair a mess, on a horse and leading two more. She came from the direction of the stables, firing her gun and looking scared out of her mind. The two men holding the guy who had been with Colin let him go, both wounded. The soldier holding Adele released her, and fired back as Colin and Nat's friend charged Mitch, who's attention had been snatched for a second. At the same time, Nat urged her horse to climb the palace steps, the sound of its hooves heavy against the stone. "Ben, come on!" She yelled.

Adele saw Colin break free of his restrainers, hitting them across the face and shoving them so they fell down the steps. The other guy—Ben, tackled Mitch to the ground.

"You're not a revolution. You are anarchy." He grabbed the gun, and punched Mitch in the face. Colin and Ben took off, killing anyone who tried to stop them. One of the soldiers grabbed her so she couldn't follow. Nat had gotten the horses up to the steps and the two men mounted up and then they were fleeing.

Colin looked back at her. She tried to make him understand she had just said that. That she did love him, and had said she loved Ethan to make him stop hitting him. To know if he would come back for her.

"Should we kill them?" one of the remaining soldiers asked.

Mitch sat up, wiping blood off his nose. He scowled. "No. Not yet. He'll be back for her. And he'll bring more. And when they do, we'll kill them."  
…

It was weird, to wear jeans again after months of dresses and heels, Nat realized as she folded up her gown. The air was different here, and it was nice to be back close to the ocean. Colin assured them that Angeles City would be full of rebels, so they had ridden south, back down to the area around Trentworth. So far, no one had bothered them as they camped on the beach, still many hours away. Colin had known some people in the area, where he had gone to pick up things while working at Trentworth, and he had been able to buy them clothes that didn't make them look so suspicious. She looked over at the horses, to make sure they were okay, and sat down on the sand next to Ben. She slipped her hand into his, and leaned back against him.

She was free. For the first time in almost seven months, she was free. No Selection, no being locked in her room, no being imprisoned. For the first time in Nat's life, there was something she wanted to do. She wanted to stop the revolution.

They had taken her boyfriend, her two best friends, and now her sister. She had gotten Ben back, but it was too late for Sirena. But for Ethan, Nicole, and the rest of the Selected girls, there was still hope. And there was still hope for the country, if they could stop Mitch.

"So, what do we do now?" Ben voiced her concerns, looking to Colin across their campfire, where the older boy just stared into the flames. Nat hadn't been there when the attempt to rescue Adele had gone down in flames, but apparently it had shaken their newfound leader to the core.

Colin was quiet for a moment, poking the flames with a stick. "We failed this time. But we'll just try again. I have to get her out." He looked up at them. "Are you with me? I think I can find some people the help us. There used to be more of us, who didn't want a revolution, just some change." He stood up. "We can do this, guys."

"But they have an army. How many people are you talking about?" Nat asked.

"Anyone who still supports the monarchy. There's got to be more, especially in the east. Mitch hasn't taken half of the provinces yet. If we just stand together, we can do this, guys. We'll get the Selected girls out first, because they're just victims of all this." His words were coming faster now. "We need to get the royal family out. When they're out of his control, we'll have a chance."

"How will we do that?" Ben's voice was growing in excitement too, despite his words. "There's just three of us."

"Then they'll never see us coming." Colin smiled and looked out to the ocean. He turned back to Nat. "I promise you, we'll get your sister out of Mitch's hands."

She smiled. "Okay. Okay, I trust you. I'm with you."

"I am too." Ben echoed.

Colin grinned. "Let's see what they have to say to us now."

…

**I hate that I haven't liked any of my updates for a while now, so hopefully they're not too bad. I know I should spend more time on them, but I don't have much of that these days. I will try to update faster now, but I won't guarantee anything. One thing I would like to know, if you guys would be interested in some sort of writing "club" thing, like accountability partners? Where we all set a word count or time or something to write a day? Anyway, I know lots of you are out of school for summer now so I except more updates! Please review!**

**-Shades**


	98. The Dream is Over

**The Story: When you give a guy your number because you feel bad not giving it to him and have to google what to do because you were never interested…**

**I know, I've said it many times, I am so sorry for the late update! But I'm back, and I plan to be updating a lot faster, at least for now. Hopefully you haven't forgotten everything, I had terrible writers block on this one, but I managed to crank it out. Thanks for sticking with me, loves! **Lizcran, XOStarbrightXO, delovlies, Nameless, Demigod18, fivesauce'n'YAbooks **and welcome back **UnderTheJackPine. **Reviews mean so much to me!**

…

She should have known they were going north. Where else what the rebel leader turned king take his hostages than the rebel stronghold?

Katherine shivered, and pulled her wrap tighter around her shoulders. She should have guessed, going over all those mountains, the ever increasing cold, where else? It had been nearly a week in the transporting hatch of the truck, with the rest of the former Selected, stopping at random places, where they were always blindfolded. Were they really that much of a threat?

It was only plainly obvious they were far from Angeles now, but where exactly was another question altogether. The truck had rolled to a stop and the hatch's door unlocked and opened. The frigid air rushed in the confines of the truck, and Katherine blinked, trying to let her eyes adjust to the whiteness outside compared to the dimness of the truck.

Snow. And it made her want to cry. The Selection was over, she realized, away from the balmy Angeles air, the luxury of the palace, the security of it all. It was all over.

"Get your things, come on." One of the rebel guards said sternly, his hand on his weapon. "Hurry along now."

Around her, the other girls moved to comply. Katherine grabbed some of her things from her suitcase and stuffed them back in, shivering as the draft moved inside the truck. It had been cold, and they had tried to layer up, but the Selection in Angeles was a far cry from exile in Yukon, and the gowns and heels they had brought were practically worthless here, Katherine suddenly realized.

"I didn't bring a coat." Gracie murmured, struggling with the latches on her suitcase. "I left it home."

"We weren't supposed to need one in Angeles." Katherine smiled sadly at the younger girl. "C'mon."

The five of them climbed down, into the icy snow, which melted through her shoes and froze her toes.

_Be brave. Be brave. _She told herself over and over again. She had promised Ethan she would be brave.

There was no sign of the other truck, presumably the one the royal family had been transported in. In fact, they hadn't seen them since departing the palace. The rebel soldiers surrounded them, as the former Selected stumbled through the snow with cramped legs and footwear the definitely wasn't appropriate, in nice fancy dresses.

They must be quite the sight.

Adele was strangely silent, after whatever had happened back at the palace. It had been hard to see, and she hadn't said hardly anything since being escorted back to the truck and the doors closing and the endless journey to here.

Nicole had cried a little at first after seeing a glimpse of her sister. She had struggled against being blindfolded on their first break, but she told them later when they were moving again that one of the soldiers had slapped her, and she seemed to have given up. She was biting her lip, as they walked, not looking at the guards.

Gracie gaped at their surroundings, but Katherine could tell she was just as scared and nervous. She kept looking behind them, as if hoping someone else would arrive. Her face was pale, and she was shivering, her arms wrapped tightly around herself.

Only Ebony seemed calm. She looked defiant, almost, a haughty gleam in her eyes. Since she was from Yukon, being up wherever they were must be normal for her. She didn't seem to notice the cold or the snow. None of them had talked much back in the truck, but Ebony had always been the first to be taken outside when they stopped, and the last to return.

The snow muffled the sound as they walked down the driveway they had pulled up in. They were escorted down a snow covered walkway, enclosed with white dusted evergreens. It would have been nice, in another situation.

Their new home, or prison, as Mitch probably preferred, was small, built of stone. Ivy crept up its walls, and all the windows were covered with curtains, and Katherine couldn't see any lights, even though it would be getting dark soon. The windowsills were rotting, and in need of painting. It appeared to be two stories. More rebels were gathered around a blazing fire pit by the front steps, laughing and smoking. They were dressed more as civilians and less as soldiers. They called out to their own escorts, yelling greetings. A few of them offered wolf-whistles to the girls.

"Are they Mitch's girls, then?" One shouted.

"Well, who do we have here?" Another stepped out from under the eve of the roof, leering at them.

Their guards laughed, and playfully shoved the men aside, and the guy who looked to be in charge opened the front door and led them inside, about half staying outside. Katherine was looking forward to getting outside and out of the cold, but inside still proved cold. It was warmer than outside, but it was still cold. It was dimly light, and smelled musty. It proved bigger on the inside that it appeared to be on the outside, but it seemed almost hollow inside. Their guards took them down the front hallway, devoid of furniture, to the wide staircase. It squeaked and creaked mightily as the five followed their escorts upstairs, never seeing another soul. At the palace, there had always been the staff everywhere, and other important people, but here was oddly empty.

_It's not the palace. It's not the Selection. _Katherine reminded herself. The top of the stairs was a long hallway, with closed doors the only thing worth seeing, aside from a window looking out over the back of the house.

"You will stay in here, for now." One of the soldiers said, not looking at them, and opening the door closest to the stairs. He motioned them inside, and waited until they were inside before closing and locking it. Their footsteps died away.

"Well…" Nicole sighed, and dropped her suitcase. "It could be worse." Her voice was flat, not even trying to make the most of the situation.

"We're not royalty anyway." Gracie said.

It was a fairly large room, with a lot of empty space. The walls were white; the ceiling was white. The brown hardwood floor was scratched, with several places looking like they had been sitting under large furniture until recently. Three beds lined against the opposite wall with rickety mismatched tables between them, under three windows, with the early winter sunlight struggling to shine through in the late afternoon. Two more were on the right wall. A gray stone fireplace sat to the left, cold and unlit, no wood in sight. The beds were small, nothing compared to the luxurious ones back at the palace. They were made up with different blankets and quilts, and Katherine found that sight oddly comforting. Lamps lit the space, and there was a tiny closet, in which they found a couple of hangers, some extra scratchy blankets, lightbulbs and space heater.

They claimed beds, whichever was closest to them. Katherine sat down, the fancy fabric of her dress a stark contrast to the rough fabric of the blankets. She looked around at the other girls, looking equally as lost as she felt. Nicole caught her eye.

"Fit for a princess." She said darkly, laughing humorlessly at her joke. Gracie turned towards the window, wrapping her arms around herself as if in protection. Adele continued taking things out of her suitcase, ignoring them. Only Ebony smiled.

No one came for them, for two more hours. They girls busied themselves, putting their single suitcases worth of clothing away and layering up with flimsy gowns and decorative cardigans to try to stay warm in the chilly room. None of them said much. The sun sank down on the other side of the house, turning the world outside the windows black, and obscuring the view of the rebel guards pacing outside constantly. An older woman none of them knew brought them dinner, telling them she wasn't allowed to speak to them, none of the staff were. Katherine found herself longing for her room back at the palace, the canopy bed, the silk sheets, the gauzy curtains and the balcony. It all seemed a distant memory now.

When the rebel soldiers returned for them, the hallway outside was dark, aside from one lamp by the top of the stairs, and just as before no one was around. They were taken back down the stairs, through an empty room in the front, and then through a hallway that opened to the back of the house. The first two things Katherine noticed were it actually had lights on, and Ethan was there.

He was sitting in a threadbare chair, his ears and nose red from cold. The bruises still hadn't faded from his face, and he looked terrible, his head in his hands and hunched over. He lifted his head up at the sound of their approach, and started. He rose to his feet, but the soldier leading them in stopped him from approaching them.

Instead, he just stood there, looking desperately out of place, his hands in fists.

It was only then that Katherine noted the rest of the former royal family in the room. At least most of them. Wesley was standing at the large window that looked outside, unmoving. Queen Francesca was sitting in the chair by Ethan's, set on either side of a fireplace, of course, unlit. Andrew and Christine sat on the sofa that was opposite, his arm around her. King Jackson sat apart from them all, on the other side of the room, a guard hovering nearby.

Mitch entered behind them, smiling of all things. "Sorry for this little inconvenience, Ethan. I know you must want to greet your girls." He smirked. "We just need to make things clear and ask them some questions." He turned to them. "Ladies, you must understand this. You are not part of the royal family. You are no longer in a Selection. You are only here because we have nowhere else to keep you. But the Selection is over. If any of you is caught with Ethan doing anything other than speaking, you will be punished. Do I make myself clear?"

Katherine glanced at Ethan, remembering the first time he kissed her, that night at Trentworth. But she nodded meekly, as the other girls did the same.

"Good. Do you have any whereabouts concerning the former princess Michelle Shreave?"

The question caught her off guard, something she wasn't expecting. Before she could formulate an answer, Nicole spoke for all of them.

"Why would we? You stuff us into a truck for six days and blindfold us whenever we stop. You take us here and lock us in a room—without heat, by the way—and we never see another soul until now except for your kind. And you're asking us that?" She rolled her eyes, looking so different from the quiet girl Katherine had usually known her as. She was angry.

Mitch had the nerve to laugh at her outburst. "I'll take that as a no then. Alright, we're done here. You are free to go back to your rooms whenever you wish. Someone will come to collect you at nine." He nodded to the guards, and they just left, leaving them where they were. It surprised her so much, Katherine just stood there for a second.

Christine got up to hug Nicole, and the rest of them. Katherine didn't know her very well, but things with the rest of the Selected had been tense, and to hug someone was nice. Wesley came over too, his eyes looking a lot older than he had before they had left the palace. He surprised her when he gave them all hugs too.

"What happened to Michelle?" Nicole asked Christine as they hugged.

"We don't know. They kept asking us where she had gone, but we never saw her. We stopped two days ago and they took us inside for a while and she never showed up. We haven't seen her since." Christine responded, shaking her head. Andrew came to her side.

"We're sorry you girls have to be a part of this." He said solemnly. "It never should have happened."

"How are you holding up?" Christine asked them.

Katherine tried to smile, as the other girls told them it was okay, and described what had happened, but her eyes only found Ethan. He stood where he was, watching them as if from the other side of a window. She stepped away from the group.

"Hi." She said, ever mindful of Mitch's warning.

He put his hands in his pockets, and met her eyes. "Hi."

She saw only shame in his own eyes, and after looking at her for a heartbeat, he looked down. "Are you okay? They didn't hurt any of you, did they?"

"Nicole said one of the men slapped her when she tried to get away. But other than that…" She trailed off. "We're okay, I guess."

"Kate, are _you _okay." He stepped closer, as if to touch her arm, but remembered the new rule.

Katherine wanted to cry into his chest and have him hold her and wait until things got okay again. She wanted to tell him things were terrible and she wanted to go home. But she had promised him she would be strong. She had to be brave.

"I think so. Ethan, where are we?"

He shrugged. "My guess is Yukon. Or somewhere like that. Where ever it, it's far from home."

"It's the governor's residence. Or at least it used to be, when Yukon had a governor." Ebony came up behind her. "I recognized it when we came up." She came to a stop next to Katherine, and hesitated with a look behind her shoulder, then stepped forward and embraced Ethan.

"It's good to see you again." She said, stepping back to look at him, her hands on his shoulders.

"We're not supposed-" Ethan began, the tips of his ears turning red, as they always did when he was embarrassed. .

"Oh shut up. The last time I spoke to you, you were drunk and you told me you were leaving, and then you get yourself captured. I've missed you." She hugged him again, and Katherine slipped away, back to others. The last time she had spoken to him, he had told her she made him strong. She had to be strong. She had to.

She found a place to sit down and listened to Nicole and Christine talk about how they got here. Gracie came and sat down next to her.

"I want to talk to him." She said wistfully. Katherine didn't have to ask to know who. Ebony was still talking to Ethan. Nicole and Adele were avoiding him like the plague. "You talked to him. Is he okay?"

"He seemed to be." Katherine shrugged. "As good as can be expected."

"I miss him." Gracie said forlornly. "I miss him so much it hurts. And he's right there and he can't even hug me." She sounded close to tears, and rested her forehead in her hand, her short hair covering the side of her face.

"It's so weird to see him with another girl. I think I should have gotten used to it by now. And the Selection is over and everything."

Gracie lifted her head and smiled slightly. "Maybe Mitch says so. But it's not over for our hearts. And we still love him."

"I don't think she does, though." Katherine muttered, nodding over to where Ebony still was talking to Ethan, holding both of his hands. "I don't know what she's doing."

"Do you want to go back to our room? I don't want to be here anymore."

She nodded and they both stood and made their way to the door.

"Are you guys leaving?" Adele jumped up from where she sat by herself. "I'm coming too."

"It's not like we're going to stop you." Katherine tried to joke. Gracie smiled, and she felt a little normalcy returning. They opened the doors, and found the hallway deserted, lit only by the light in the kitchen, where it sounded like someone was doing dishes. They didn't venture to see who, only went the way they came, encountering no one.

They couldn't help but freeze by the stairs when they heard voices.

"I know you want to stay, but there's no reason. I'll be headed back to the palace anyway. Why don't you go there?" It was Mitch, Katherine recognized his tone.

A woman laughed. "Go back, you mean."

"Sweetheart, for all you know you could be exiled here with them."

"But I'm not." She laughed again. There was something extremely familiar about her voice. "I'll stay with you until you leave."

"Fine, then at least go back to town for tonight."

"I want to stay here with you."

"I'll be leaving here in a few hours. Until then, go on ahead. I'll see you tonight."

"Alright, fine. I'll go out the back." The woman was annoyed now, Katherine could tell. They heard her giggling more, and then the footsteps got closer to the stairs. The three ran up as quietly as they could, but neither of them went into their room, just hiding out of sight.

They saw two figures pass the stairs, heading towards the front doors.

"I'll see you later." The woman said, as Mitch opened the front door, illuminating both of them in the light. There were still several men outside, and they called their greetings. But the woman turned back to look up the stairs, and her face became clear.

Katherine, Gracie, and Adele jumped back out of sight, and hurried into their room.

"Was that who I think it was?" Gracie hissed in a whisper.

"I think so. I think she saw us too."

Tall, tanned skin, and unmistakably perfect reddish blonde hair. There was a reason why her voice was so familiar, but when it wasn't being rude it was a little harder to identify.

Adele sat down on her bed in shock. "What is Mackenzie Parker doing here?"

…

**Anyway, so I managed, not my best work again. This week, I am going to try to write 400 words a day, (on anything) and I would love it if anyone wanted to join me, to set a number or pages or something, and let me know how they did! Just let me know in a review or something! **

**-Shades**


	99. If I Loved You

**The Story: When you're trying to get all your online summer class work done so you can enjoy your vacation and decide to work endlessly on an update instead… **

**She's back! And it hasn't been a month! Not as fast as I wanted, obviously my 400-word thing failed, but I went on an impromptu trip, and had yet another assignment to finish. Blame everyone else for updating their stories to guilt me into working on this! This chapter wasn't planned, but I'm happy the way it turned out. A lot of guest/new reviewers requested more POVs from the twins, so here you go! **

**Reviewer shout out time! **delovlies, XOStarbrightXO, UltimateMaxmericaShipper, guest, Lizcran, Demigod18, fivesauce'n'YAbooks, **and huge shout out to new guest reviewer, **PersonNamedBob**! I love hearing a new perspective, especially from earlier in the story. I'd love to hear your continued thoughts! (That goes for all of you!) **

**Note: The first POV is immediately after the last one, the second one takes place about three weeks later, explaining a lot of stuff that has happened "off screen" with Colin, Ben and Nat. It goes back to a lot of stuff that I brought up earlier and it doesn't make too much sense militarily, but I tried! **

…

She was avoiding him. And he could feel her anger from across the room.

With only Ebony and Nicole remaining in the main room, Ethan realized he had missed his chance to speak with Adele and Gracie, and had not nearly had enough time with Katherine. Despite the blatantly stated rule, Ebony had hugged him tightly, and told him she had missed him. They only had ten minutes before the guards were supposed to return to take them to their rooms, and she had left, claiming exhaustion.

After nearly a week being in the confines of the back of a semi stuffed mostly full of other things with his brothers, Ethan was tired too, but he wanted to make sure the girls were okay. He needed to make sure they were okay.

Not that they were his girls, anymore, not really. He didn't know what was going to happen, but Mitch had made it clear that the Selection had ended in exile instead of a wedding.

_They are here because of me. It's my fault. _He thought. It had broken his heart, to see them so inadequately dressed for the chill of their new home. It may be foolish of him, but he loved something about each of them. Seeing Adele, so cold and refusing to look at him hurt him, just like seeing her stand up for another man had. He knew he was foolish to try to win her back to him, but she was the first girl he had ever kissed, and it was hard to forget. Katherine was trying so, so hard to be brave, and she was doing a hell of a job. Her resilience was beautiful. Gracie, to her credit, was still going strong. She had grown up a lot since fainting as soon as he spoke to her during the interviews. He always knew that to her, he was her champion. He hadn't known Ebony as long as the others, but she was here. She was defiant to Mitch's new rules, and she didn't seem at all fazed. And of course, she was beautiful.

Nicole was avoiding him. She was angry, at everyone and everything. He had seen it when she had yelled at Mitch about his sister, the way she wouldn't look at him, and how she responded to the rest of the girls with one word answers. A deep sadness haunted her eyes, even from across the room.

As Andrew and Christine said their goodnights, he could almost pretend they were at Trentworth or somewhere, maybe back home, if only for a moment. His father had left some time earlier, flanked by a rebel guard. His mother followed them. Nicole looked up, and found her friends gone, and quickly realized that she was the only one there with him, besides Wesley.

Eyes widening, she bolted up out of her chair. "I-I should go." She stuttered.

"_I_ should go." Wesley said. "I'll leave you to it." He left quickly, and Ethan couldn't blame him. It had suddenly gotten very awkward.

"Can I talk to you?" He broached a conversation.

"Uh, they should be here soon to take us back…" She trailed off, and took a deep breath. "I don't think that's the best idea Ethan. You heard Mitch. The Selection is over. We should just…just stay away from me, okay?" She lifted her chin, with the elegance of the dancer she was, and turned to go. She hesitated for a moment, but then kept going.

"I'm sorry." He called after her. "I'm sorry you have to be here. I'm sorry you got tangled up in all this."

She stopped again, and her fingers twitched at her side. She turned sharply. "You're _sorry._" She spoke so accusingly, he felt like he had been slapped. She looked ridiculous, standing there, dressed up in a long sleeved dinner gown of rose silk, with an afternoon cardigan over her shoulders, and scarf wrapped around her neck. She wore white stockings under her kitten heels, and a riding jacket over it all, since none of the girls had coats. But the venom in her voice made up for it all.

"Yeah." His voice sounded pathetic to his own ears. He stuffed his hands in his pockets. "And I'm sorry I can't leave you alone."

Her eyes narrowed into slits, and her lips tightened, and walked back towards him. "You know what? _I'm _sorry. I'm sorry I have to be here. I'm sorry I signed up. I'm sorry I ever gave you any hint that maybe I liked you. I'm sorry my sister betrayed the country. I'm sorry she ran off with her boyfriend. I'm sorry I wanted to be a dancer instead of a princess. And I'm sorry that I ever have to see you again." She ended up right in front of him, and this time, she did slap him.

His face stung, but not as much as his pride.

"Just get away from me!" She cried. "I never want to see you again." She held her hand that she had slapped him with her other. "I'm not my sister, I don't want to be your friend. I'm not Katherine, I'm not Ebony. Whatever you want to say to me, tell it to one of them."

Her eyes flashed dangerously, and he was worried she would hit him again.

"Nicole, I-"

"Just leave me alone!" She shoved him backwards, and he saw tears in her eyes. "Just leave me alone, okay?" She shoved him again, harder, so he stumbled. "I _hate _you." It came it soft, but it didn't lessen the impact.

He almost wished she would have slapped him again, as much as the words hurt. Or maybe stabbed him with a knife or shot him with a gun. Because, dammit, part of him loved her.

"I hate you!" It was louder, and she hit him again and again. Tears spilled down her cheeks.

He kept saying her name, and grabbed for her hands, still pummeling him. "Hey, Nic, it's okay, it's okay." He caught her hands, and held her wrists, rendering her incapable.

She deflated then, a sob escaping her throat.

"You don't mean it."

She nodded in protest. "I do. I do hate you." She choked on sobs.

"No, you don't."

_Screw Mitch. _He hugged her, and held on as long as he dared as she cried. She didn't pull away. "I'm sorry Nicole. I'm so, so sorry." He kept saying, stroking her hair.

"Why are you making this so hard?" She managed. "I only ever wanted to be a dancer. I only ever wanted that. Why did you have to screw it up?"

He didn't have an answer. He just released her, knowing there was only a few minutes before the soldiers came back. "I should go. They'll be here soon."

She nodded, and sniffed, wiping at her eyes with her hand, the reminder of facing Mitch's men in tears was too much. He waited until she had composed herself enough before heading to the door.

He tried to leave, but as she had earlier, he hesitated and turned, but didn't know what to say.

Nicole wiped the tear tracks off her cheeks, and straightened her dress. She looked him in the eye. "Ethan, my sister is accused of being a rebel. I can't love you."

Her lips trembled as she spoke. The she lifted the skirt of her gown, and sunk into a deep curtsey. She rose, brushed past him, and left him there with her words, standing in an empty room, alone.

…

Southern Illea was fighting back. And Angeles was a city under siege.

Nat kept reminding herself of the fact, as she went about her days. It was hard to be discouraged now. She was finally doing something.

Mitch's forces had done exactly what they had set out to accomplish, initially. It had been three weeks since Nat, Ben, and Colin had escaped the palace and royals and Selected moved elsewhere. Like Mitch had said, the eastern portion of Illea had fallen under his control, in only a few weeks. He had taken Waverly's capital, and Allens, and the rest had fallen or surrendered.

His goal to move his armies of deserters and rebels and angry citizens south after the northern portion of the country had been conquered, had failed. San Francisco had been the first city to fight back. A bloody siege in the streets against the rebels and the monarchist supported echoed the civil war in the country. It had appeared that the rebels would win, but not anymore.

Clermont's governor was a supporter of the king, and had refused to surrender, even when Carolina did. The monarchists rallied, and like in San Francisco, Clermont's capital became a siege. The rebel forces attacked both cities, but the people fought back, turning the streets into a warzone. Clermont had fallen, but it had set an example.

The people of Midston, Tammins, and Fennley followed suit, and their borders became a line a resistance against the rebels, protecting the southernmost provinces as well. But in Angeles, the fighting was heaviest. San Francisco had eventually fallen as well, but the monarchist fighters fell back to Angeles City. Here, the fighting was heaviest.

The rebel forces were garrisoned in the palace lands, the gardens and yards where they camped. They remained protected by the palace walls, where the monarchists were not. They remained south of the palace lands, in the city, hiding in buildings and homes, fighting in the streets. It was violent and bloody, many causalities only innocent civilians. But if the city fell, the rest of the province did, and it would only be a matter of time before the entire country was in Mitch's hands.

But still, there was hope. There were some of them who would not be bullied into submission. There were counter-revolutionaries.

Colin had set up his headquarters in Trentworth, since most of the staff that remained there even when the mansion was empty had abandoned it. The nearby town, where Colin hailed from, was filled with supporters of ending Mitch's revolution. And the closer to the palace one went, the more supporters of the king were found.

Every day, supporters and refuges came to Trentworth. The guest rooms and royal family's suites housed homeless civilians of some importance, and the parlors and sitting rooms held meetings and offices as the commanders of the blossoming resistance planned their next move. Civilians supporters of the counter-revolutionaries spilled out from the servant's quarters and spare rooms, onto the terraces, the gardens, the unused stable yards, even down to the beach.

Those who would fight moved north to fight in Angeles, leaving their families behind. The wounded who could be moved from the fighting were brought south to Trentworth, where the chain of command was being established, under Colin and Ben, and those Colin had worked with prior to the collapse of the monarchy. They were starting to set up a primitive hospital in the dining room, but with the carnage from Angeles, they would soon need to expand. People kept coming, living in fear that the rebels would come, any day.

So much happened every day, and for Nat, it was an exciting time to be alive. She slept on a couch in a former guest room, crammed with two other families from the surrounding towns, including Colin's. It made her miss her own family. She hoped they were okay, back in Kent, now under rebel control. She hoped Nicole was okay, too, where she was. They still didn't know where Mitch had taken them.

Half the time, she had no idea what she was doing. Colin had given her the task of overseeing the refuges, and she had started the hospital idea. There was always something to do. Supplies to obtain, people to talk to, things to plan. Luckily, the group Colin had been working with before was much more organized. They had spies, they had informants, they had plans. Ben and Colin had joined them, and she saw people looked to them. They looked to her also, but she knew nothing about planning wars and training supplies.

Nat's favorite part of her newfound job was taking care of the horses. Their new little force didn't have the sophistication of the rebels. They only had a few vehicles and one captured helicopter. Trentworth was always vulnerable to attack by air, but so far, it hadn't happened. They ferried fighters to the front lines in the vehicles, but many of them also had to go by horse. Nat oversaw all of that, including the bringing in of horses from surrounding areas, and making sure they were returned.

She and Ben would ride north towards Angeles, accompanied by all those who were joining the fight, who couldn't fit in the cars and trucks they had. The vehicles would take back the wounded, and the horses any civilians getting out of the city. It was dangerous, she knew. There were always people braver, who got the wounded and civilians out of the city. Ben was in charge of all that. Her job, thankfully, was just to make sure everyone got back safely.

They had just returned on their second trip for the week. Nat had returned to the horses, after directing the civilians to where they could stay. Colin's sister-in-law, Viola, helped her out in that aspect.

There were more horses than stalls, with all of the civilian's animals, so it was easier to just keep all the horses in the pastures and let the people stay under the shelter of the stables. Still, she had her records there, and had to count all the animals.

It was then, when she heard the sound of the helicopter. Grinning, Nat quickly checked off the remaining animals, and hurried up the front drive. The pilot was still setting down. She squirmed in between Ben and Colin.

"She's early." Nat remarked.

"That's good." Ben reminded her, with a smirk, slinging his arm over her shoulder. It was so strange, to be so happy when they were opposing a revolution, but she was. The helicopter set down on the wide front drive, the blades slowly spinning to a stop.

The pilot jumped out, and the doors opened and so did her passengers. She waved, and pulled off her helmet and goggles, letting out a tumble of raven hair.

Elvira Entrinken looked totally different out of her extravagant gowns and makeup. The former solider and Selected was garbed in her uniform, hair in a ponytail, and no makeup. Last week, she had flown over, and set down. Initially, there was the fear that her Illea military helicopter was captured and piloted by rebels, but their fears were quelled when Elvira had climbed out of the pilot's seat, her helicopter filled with soldiers that were still loyal to the crown.

The king's army had been splintering, from the draft and from Mitch's brutal attacks, but it still held in Tammins and Midston. Elvira had flown in commanding officers and soldiers from there to help Angeles once she had heard about Colin's base at Trentworth.

"You're back!" Nat called, walking forward. She hugged her friend, still feeling shocked the former Elite had just shown up, leaving the military job Ethan had sent her to at her elimination.

"All in one piece!" Elvira joked, smiling.

"Any problems this time?" Ben asked, as they helped unload supplies from the hold.

Elvira shook her head. "Not this time. I saw they pulled out a lot of their soldiers from the palace." She had flown over Angeles to neighboring Sonage, her home province, to get supplies from the military base there. "I'm flying back once I get more fuel. General Connelly wants me to pick up several of his men who were wounded."

General Connelly manned Sonage's military base, one of the leaders of the king's army. He worked closely with the counter-revolutionaries, now, as their civilian army was growing every day. Elvira was still under his command, but they were allies now, working together for the same goal.

"We were there this morning." Ben told her. "They were too badly wounded to get in the cars."

"Just don't get hit. This is the only helicopter we have." Colin joked.

"I never get hit." Elvira parried back. Her face became serious. "I have news. Connelly know where they are."

Colin visibly tensed up. "How?"

"Someone told him. He doesn't know who they are, but they called him. They're in Yukon. Wherever the governor used to live with his family."

"Just the royal family? Or the Selected?" Nat jumped in.

"All of them." Elvira confirmed. "If the person is telling the truth."

"How does he know that this person isn't just doing this because Mitch has an ambush or something?" Colin asked.

Elvira shrugged. "He sent spies. The call came three weeks ago. They conferred that there are people there, and they are heavily guarded."

"It could be anyone. They left almost three weeks ago from here." Colin shook his head. He was desperate for Adele's whereabouts, but every lead turned to a dead end.

"Maybe the person knew they were coming." Nat added. "Some maid or something."

"Could be. Anyway, I've got to go. I don't want to fly after dark." Elvira pulled the doors closed, now that the medical supplies and foodstuffs she had brought were unloaded.

She hugged them goodbye and they headed back inside as she got fuel.

"It could be them." Nat said.

"I don't think we should risk it. It could also be an ambush." Ben looked skeptic.

"But it could be them." Colin pressed. "The Selected are just innocent bystanders. And if Mitch doesn't have the royal family…" His eyes glimmered with hope. "I have an idea."

…

**And there you have it! Nat's part was a lot of catching up and kinda barfing all my ideas into a word document…anyway, let me know if you would like to hear from her and the others more, or just the Selected and Ethan. Hope you liked seeing Elvira again, she was one of my favorites so I had to bring her back! If anyone else would like to see a cameo, I may be able to work one in somewhere, so let me know! :D **

**Next chapter may have some delays, I've got to do two weeks of classwork in three days now, so wish me luck! **

**Don't forget to review! (I promise they make me update faster) **

**-Shades**


	100. Just Close Your Eyes

**The Story: So, I have a question that's been bothering me a while, and it has nothing to do with this chapter. But…ARE THERE ANY BOYS ON FANFICTION OR PINTEREST? I have never, ever seen a male on Pinterest. The only fandom I ever thought a writer might be male in was my first fandom, the Inheritance Cycle (hence the username). But if you have insight let me know because it's freaking me out a little. **

**I know I said once again I would try to update faster, but writers block kills. I had a lot of planning for later chapters to do and this chapter is kind of a bridge chapter, though it ended up being more intense. It's not my best work, but I think it came out better than I had it. **

**Shout out to reviewers a guest, **lizcran, PersonNamedBob, delovlies, Nameless, fivesauce'n'YAbooks, **and **XOStarbrightXO, **plus all the recent followers/favorites! I would love to know your thoughts too! **

…

It was torture, plain and simple.

Even though they weren't competing anymore, to see Mackenzie again made Gracie want to scream. Or cry. Or both. It was like she was trying to make her life more miserable than it already was.

It was little wonder the rest of the group was eating in total silence. At the end of their first week in exile, Mitch had brought a date to meet his prisoners.

They had been eating their meals in groups, probably to avoid too much contact with each other. Gracie ate with the other former Selected, and then the former royal family. The only time they were all allowed to be together was for an hour before curfew. Other than that, it wasn't terrible for them. The royals all were confined to rooms by themselves, but the Selected had run of the house. After a few days, the guards mostly stayed outside or by the doors. They were escorted outside for a walk around their prison each day. Gracie kept reminding herself it could be worse.

It was still cold. It was always cold. Thankfully, one of the two women who seemed to work for Mitch as their staff had brought them warmer clothing than their palace garb. Neither of two ever spoke to them, but apparently she had listened to them or Mitch had shown some humanity and taken pity on them. It was just some sweatshirts and socks and gloves, but in the barely heated house, it was something to be thankful for.

For some reason, though, Mitch insisted on treating them as if they were still at the palace. He had arrived that afternoon announcing they would be eating with him, and to dress up for the occasion, reminding them of what he had taken.

Instead of being fun, it felt strangely hollow to dress up for something other than trying to stay warm, put on make-up and fix their hair a little nicer. There were no maids to help them, no luxury bedrooms, no promise of a date with a prince anymore. Their friendships were deteriorating, and no one wanted to talk.

The meal served had been nicer than the sandwiches they had been served, and they all were to eat together, for once. For a moment, it might have felt normal, until Mitch showed up with Mackenzie on his arm.

Gracie shivered, missing her sweatshirt already in one of the dresses she had brought from the palace. It was cream colored, with long lace sleeves, the long skirt hiding her socks stuffed under her heels. She was still cold.

Mackenzie didn't even seem to feel it, laughing and giggling with Mitch, her arm tucked around Mitch's the entire time, looking warm in a fur stole—yes, fur. She never spoke to any of her former competitors, or the royal family.

Ethan stared at her with something akin to terror when she had arrived. She smiled at him for a second, and that was it. She hadn't even looked at Gracie or the rest. For someone who had been thrown out of the palace for getting almost naked with Ethan, it didn't seem to have dampened her spirits.

As for the girls, though she, Adele and Katherine had told Ebony and Nicole that they had seen her, it was still a shock to see her with Mitch, as if he was just rubbing it in their face. Ebony had visibly twitched, and had spent the rest of the evening glaring dangerously at Mackenzie. The two had never gotten along well, in the short time they had been together. They were silent, and stared at their food.

Mitch and Mackenzie were flirting it up, stopping now and then to kiss. Ethan was practically dying from embarrassment. Ebony looked like she was going to kill someone, any of them actually. Wesley looked like he was trying not to vomit from the PDA. Katherine looked tearful. Nicole looked like she wanted to be anywhere but here. Adele was probably going to stab Mitch with her fork any second.

It was probably one of the most awkward meals in history. Mitch finally stopped kissing Mackenzie to break the silence.

"Miss Page, how are you enjoying your new accommodations?" He asked Katherine, randomly. She halted in mid-bite, looking up sharply at her new title. Some days it was their first name, now their last names? She swallowed quickly, and smiled—barely.

"It is rather cold at times." She paused, glancing at Ethan the tiniest bit for help. "But it serves nicely."

"I guess you'll just have to get used to the cold here in Yukon. Isn't that right, Ebony?" He turned to the last member of the Selection.

Ebony narrowed her eyes slightly. She seemed even angrier than usual. "I suppose."

"Oh, but you of all people should know how to survive a Yukon winter." Mitch smirked. Ebony refused to look at him, only poking at her food with her fork. He frowned.

He turned to Nicole. "Have you been missing your sister?"

There was a pause in the room. Nicole hadn't had much of an angry personality when Gracie had known her, but the past few weeks had changed that. Her grip tightened on her fork.

"Yes." She said, her voice even and controlled. "Yes, I have."

"Oh, but she is a traitor. You did know that, right? To your former prince, to your former monarchy, to my monarchy…the list is endless." And he actually smiled.

Nicole looked up at him, and Gracie caught the slightest tremble in her hands. "I'm not her."

"No, of course you're not." He didn't even look at her anymore. "Miss Warren?"

Adele raised her eyebrows in question.

"You showed quite the display of emotion running after that boy of yours. Tell me, when did you meet him? Before or after you met Ethan?"

Adele lowered her head, and though not one to blush, she was now.

Mitch continued, unbidden, carrying on a one-sided conversation. "I suppose I must thank you for running to him, like you did. I had my suspicions during the Convicting, but I thought you could be helpful to me, if you were a rebel too. Then he shot his way out of the palace with two prisoners, so I figured he wasn't one after all. And the next thing I know, you are there in his arms. So I'll ask again. Did you meet him before or after the Selection?"

His voice had grown more insistent, taking on an ominous quality, so Adele mumbled an answer. "During."

Mitch smirked again. "Does make for some…how do I say it…_interesting _treason. Wouldn't you say so, Ethan?"

Gracie looked toward her prince. He looked so helpless. One wrong word, and Mitch might kill him.

"I had no knowledge about…them." He said softly.

"Well, I suppose that was fortunate. So if you were to finished your Selection, who would you have picked?"

The question was loaded.

"That, I cannot say." Ethan spoke quickly.

"But with so many choices, maybe you wanted to keep them all?" His grin was devilish. Gracie knew he would speak to her soon.

"And you, Gracie? If he asked, would you have married Ethan?"

Gracie looked at Ethan. She hadn't gotten to tell him how she felt. That she was ready to marry him. Now, it was all too late.

_In a heartbeat. _

"it doesn't matter, does it?" She said instead.

And she could have sworn, Ethan looked hurt.

Mackenzie snickered. "Stop teasing them, Mitch." She slapped his arm playfully. It seemed to Gracie, he had no intention of stopping. He continued to ignore the former king and queen, a constant reminder of what they had lost.

He moved to his next target, across from Gracie. "Tell me, Christine. Are you regretting winning your husband's Selection, now?"

The princess was white-faced, looking rather ill, as she often was now. While the rest of them knew of her pregnancy, announced when Andrew had returned from the field, Mitch was not yet aware, at least they thought.

"No." She whispered, refusing to even look him in the eye. Gracie saw Andrew tighten his jaw, and his arm shifted. They were probably holding hands. They did that a lot.

"Well, that's good. I must inform you that tomorrow, you both will be leaving here."

No one spoke.

"Why?" Andrew asked. "We did nothing wrong."

"No, of course not. Too many people will be angry with me if I kill you. You just happen to be the heir. Or at least you used to be. I have found somewhere else to keep you both for the time being."

Andrew only nodded, staring down at his plate just like they all had. Defeated.

Wesley suddenly stood up so quickly, his chair fell over. "You can't take him." He said, his voice surprisingly calm.

Mitch laughed. "I can do whatever I please."

"Stop it!" He protested, his eyes wide. "Stop treating us like this!" His black eye had faded from the night Mitch had invaded the palace, but the look in Mitch's eye now made Gracie think the youngest prince would soon earn another.

Mitch rose. "Why should I?" His tone took on an accusing quality.

"Because—because," Wesley sputtered, "You have no right! They're just girls. They didn't ask to be here. And my brothers are princes. And Christine is a princess. You can't just lock us up and pretend we were never the royal family!"

"Not anymore, you're not." Mitch's quiet voice was possibly even more scary that his yelling. Even Mackenzie looked nervous. "You gave up that right. You and your family turned their back on this country. I watched my friends and family starve and suffer and you did _nothing. _And when we tried to get justice, my father was murdered in cold blood. I'm saving this country."

Wesley looked younger than his sixteen years, then, filled with pent up frustration and fright. But out of all the family, he was the only one to stand up for any of them. "You're not saving it! You destroyed it! You let people die, you caused this war!"

Mitch let Wesley's words hang in the air, echoing through the dusty room.

Then, he threw the table back so violently, it fell on its side, dishes and glasses smashing to the floor along with their contents. Wesley fell backwards, and Katherine was knocked out of her chair. Everyone else on that side, including Gracie, Ebony, the queen and Ethan, only got the remainder of the dinner on their laps.

"Am I not the king now?" Mitch roared. "You are only alive by my hand. I should have had you all killed." He grabbed a still intact plate from the rubble and threw it hard, obliterating it into a million pieces. Christine shrieked, and Gracie ducked, hoping not to attract Mitch's wrath. He chucked a wine glass, the shards exploding against the wall.

"Get down!" Wesley hissed to Ethan, pulling his brother down next to him, behind the shelter of the table. Gracie did the same, wishing she had already fallen out of her chair like Katherine had, cringing at the storm of shards shattering behind her.

It seemed to last forever, but it wasn't really that long. The room hung in shocked silence. Not knowing what else to do, Gracie dared to peek her head up with the others.

On the other side of the table, Adele and Nicole were frozen in their seats. Ebony had backed up against the far wall. Christine was crying, and Gracie was about to as well.

Mitch hardly seemed human anymore. His breathing was loud and erratic, his eyes were bloodshot, his fingers bleeding from chipped porcelain.

He reached for another plate.

Mackenzie grabbed his arm, trying to restrain him, but he shook her off. The soldiers posted as guards had entered by that time, summoned by all the noise, but they did nothing to stop him.

Gracie ducked down again, and squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for it to be over. Eventually, it was calm again. Probably everything that could be broken had been. She didn't dare move, until after the sound of two sets of footsteps—one in heels—faded with a slamming door.

"Clean it up!" She heard Mitch shout from outside the room.

Shaking, she rose to her feet. The dining room was a mess, pretty much everything broken. The guards remained, and for once they looked shaken too, even giving some sympathetic glances. Mitch and Mackenzie were gone.

There was more shouting from the other areas of the house, and the scramble of footsteps. The doors opened, and the two women who helped out entered. Juliet was the younger one, with long light blonde hair and blue eyes. She was gently covering her cheek, sporting a red mark. The older woman, Gilly, was large boned, with short dark hair. They didn't bat an eye, just started to sweep up the pieces. A few of the guards filed out, but some even stayed to help.

Gracie couldn't hold back the silent tears as she picked up one of the brooms Juliet and Gilly had brought and began to sweep. Christine was crying, too, her husband comforting her. Katherine was sniffling, and Queen Francesca just sat where she was, frozen.

"I'm sorry." Wesley addressed all of them softly, holding the ruin of something unrecognizable as he stared forlornly at the mess. "I shouldn't have…" He trailed off, swallowing. His voice began to break. "I shouldn't have said that." He started to cry, worst of all then.

Awkwardly, Ethan patted his little brother's shoulder, and Wesley launched himself at him and buried his face into his brother's chest.

"He's never done anything like that." It was Juliet who spoke. Her cheek was bruised, her eyes red.

"Sorry?" In the week they had been there, none of the staff or guards had spoken directly to them.

"Mitch. I've never seen him like that. He's never hit me before, either." Juliet said.

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because he's right. Prince Wesley. Mitch shouldn't rule anybody."

"Careful, Juliet." One of the guards who was helping them cautioned. "Don't say things like that. He might hear."

"You agree with me, though, don't you? You told me the other night you wanted to leave."

"She's right, James." It was another soldier who spoke. "You did say that. And that man is crazy."

"Be quiet, the lot of you." Gilly said.

The rebel soldier they called James shrugged. "We're not supposed to talk when we're with them. Whatever I said doesn't apply here."

The others lapsed into silence, but Gracie couldn't help but think on their words. She knew that Mitch had brought some of the still remaining palace staff here, and she had even caught glimpses around the house of Claire, the maid that the Selected had ended up sharing after they started leaving. Perhaps they weren't all as loyal to Mitch as she thought.

Everyone worked in silence, most of them too shocked and scared to speak. The king and queen's faces were both just blank. The scary thing was, they didn't even look mad about Mackenzie's presence. They didn't look upset about the announcement of the leaving of their oldest son and daughter-in-law. They didn't seem to hear their youngest son cry, or Ethan's attempt to comfort him.

They looked hopeless.

And that scared Gracie more than anything. Because if the king and queen were resigned to their fate, then she was too, because she was just a girl.

Just a girl, in love with a boy. She wished it was just that simple. But she was coming to realize that sometimes, it just couldn't be.

…

**Yes, everything has to be emotional these days, shout out to **UltimateMaxmericaShipper **and **XOStarbrightXO** for updating their stories and keeping me company on Pinterest and packing in dat sadness. You guys rock**

**Shout out to real life sis **delovlies **for exchanging **_**Lost **_**theories with me (if you spoil it for me I will never update again), and mostly for distracting me when I would have had this posted last night but it was more important to search Pinterest for hot guy boards. All sarcasm aside, you are the best. **

**I know this says chapter 100, but there was that one chapter that was an entire April Fools joke and the following authors note apologizing, so technically this is only 98. In other news, ST has passed it's 2 year birthday! I'm not sure if I should be embarrassed or happy about that. **

**Don't forget to review! I love hearing any and all thoughts/theories/ideas/criticism/suggestions/etc! **

**-Shades**


	101. The Loneliest Kind of Lonely

**The Story: My definition of adulating is going to the drive thru after class with bae and being responsible enough to not drive distracted so eating snacks in the parking lot because we never ate lunch. **

**Back again, finally! I had plenty of time but of course writers block, so I've decided to crank these out before college gets too crazy again. Shout out to these happy few reviewers, **XOStarbrightXO, Lizcran, delovlies, UltimateMaxmericaShipper** and clever new reviewer **WhiteDhalia **for making me think I had four new reviews!**

**This chapter is on the longer side of 3000 words, and there's moments of brilliance and moments of rushed crap, so please bear with me! There's narration/POVs from Colin, Adele, and Nat, though Adele's isn't really that important, I thought it might be enjoyable, and a little lighter than all the stuff has been lately and will be! Anyway, enjoy!**

…

The icy wind gusted yet again, blowing powdery snow from the ground into his face, and scattering the silent snowflakes as they marched as white sentinels to the ground. It was utter quiet, except for the wind, the air practically crackling with cold.

It was a far cry from Colin's native Angeles, a place of hot sun, balmy winds, and sandy beaches.

But it was for the girl he loved, and he hardly felt the cold.

It had been a little over a week since Elvira had brought them the news of the discovery of where Mitch was hiding the girls. Three days ago, Connelly, the general of the Illean army, had once again reported contact, this time with news that the heirs to the throne, Prince Andrew and Princess Christine, had been moved overnight, their whereabouts and well-being unknown.

Colin had chosen to go ahead with the plan, despite that minor setback. He, along with Nat, Ben, had come with two of his best men, plus two of their newest and most valuable recruits. Damien had been a groom at Trentworth for most of their teenage years, and had grown up on the same street as Colin. Jack, he had only known from meetings with fellow patriots, in Angeles City, after being reassigned there. He had nothing but trust for them all. He hadn't known Ben for more than a month, but they were fast friends, and Colin relied on him as his second in command. Nat, too, was invaluable, for her level headedness and resourcefulness. She wouldn't even hear of Ben not letting her come. If there was any way to get Nicole out of Mitch's grasp, she would be there to help.

The other two had definitely been a surprise when they had shown up at Trentworth, and he and Ben had argued bitterly over whether to take them, since they desperately wanted to. In the end, Colin had caved. Like Nat, Princess Michelle was willing to do everything to get her family to safety. Only a few hours after Elvira had brought the news of their whereabouts, a former palace guard had driven up to Trentworth, asking for Colin. Colin had known David when he was working at the palace. The man had always been one of the nicer guards, and had welcomed his help. It was quite a shock, though, when he opened the door and the deposed princess had appeared, dressed in civilian clothing, rescued by David from Mitch.

Their team was small, only the seven of them, but they were hoping to attract less attention and get as many of the girls out as possible. The past three days they had spent watching the residence of the former governor of Yukon. Elvira had flown them up the coast, and as far as she could through the hostile wilderness of the province, but had to return for fuel in one of the coastal towns, leaving them to hike in the rest of the way on foot.

It had been brutal, always cold, snow everywhere, but they had done it. The hardest part was yet to come. The house was surrounded by rebel soldiers, camping in the outbuildings and on the lawn. Colin would have pitied them, had they not been standing in his way. They had suffered the same fate, however, always with one person watching the house. The rebels didn't seem to be expecting much of an attack, and unless they were guarding the doors or the Selected girls outside twice a day for exercise, they spent most of their time huddled in their tents or on the front porch, drinking, playing cards, and talking around fires. The royals only were let out for exercise every three days, and only for a short walk. Since Andrew and Christine had been moved, there were just two pairs, the king and queen, and Prince Ethan and Prince Wesley.

There were so many rebels camped around the house, it hadn't been hard for Damien and Jack to infiltrate their ranks. The rest of them may be too recognizable. Despite having that saving grace, there were too many just to get the girls and run. They would have to strike at night, when most would be asleep. And that night was tonight.

"Do you really think we can pull this off?" Ben murmured as he paced their campsite. The house was in the middle of nowhere, and the rebels usually didn't bother with patrols.

"Mitch isn't here. He hasn't been for three days." Colin tried to be confident.

Nat voiced his fears. "That means he might come back, if he's been away that long."

"He's one man." Colin reminded her. "Besides, I think it's going to snow again. That should keep them all inside."

"And make it harder for us to get away." Ben said.

"Well, do you want to do it or not?" Colin bristled.

"I'm not saying we shouldn't, I think we just need to be extra careful. We don't have room for mistakes."

"You're right. But we _can _do this, guys." Colin reminded them. "We have to. If we don't, then those girls are going to be killed. We need them out of Mitch's control. The people love them, and once they are on our side, they'll want to fight back."

"The longer Mitch has them, the more danger they're in. I don't want another one of them to die." Nat said.

"And then we can help my parents." Michelle piped up. "If anything, Mitch is more likely to kill them."

"And as soon as we can, we come back for them, and then find where they took Andrew and Christine." Nat said. "Once Mitch doesn't have them, then it's over."

It sounded far simpler when Nat said it then it actually would be. As they prepared to leave, Colin pulled Michelle aside.

"Listen, I want you to be careful tonight."

"Why?" she asked, confused.

"Because if something happens to you, we won't have someone in line for the throne. In case everyone else dies or something…"

"That's not going to happen." She said defiantly. "But I'll still be careful."

…

It was going to snow again.

Adele was getting pretty good at figuring that out on their daily walks. Of course, there was already enough snow, but at least the rebels kept the walkways cleared. Which was good, because they didn't bother to give them snow boots or anything warm for their feet besides socks. Still, those helped, as well as the coats and hats and gloves they had now.

The two maids were bringing stuff more frequently now, apparently taking pity on them. They told them to wear stuff like sweatpants and thermal shirts under their dresses, so she assumed Mitch wasn't authorizing them to do so. Gilly and Juliet were nice enough, even though they usually didn't say much, only brought them food at mealtimes, sometimes supplies to their rooms, or when they cleaned around the house.

Mitch had been gone for the three days it had been sense the disastrous dinner, and when he was gone, everyone seemed to be happier. It was their second walk of the day, right before dinner. She was thankful they got to go outside at all. The month spent after the Convicting at the palace hadn't allowed them to, and it was torture. Everyone seemed in high spirits today too, which was good. Usually Nicole was constantly lashing out, Katherine kept an icy silence, Gracie pouted, and Ebony complained. It was nice to have a change. The guards gave them space, two walking several feet behind and two ahead of them. They alternately smoked cigarettes and made jokes.

"I can't believe Mackenzie is here. It's like she's just taking pleasure in this." Gracie commented.

"Did you see the way Ethan looked at her, though? I thought he would die of embarrassment." Nicole giggled. "He didn't look very long, though."

"I never liked that girl." Ebony shook her head. "I like her even less now, though!"

"It could be worse; she could still be here!" Katherine joked.

Adele joined in. "That would be miserable. She would never shut up about how cold it was, or how it wasn't up to her standards, the food." An idea crept up in her head, and she dropped back a few steps, and bent to scoop up a handful of snow, hiding it behind her skirt. "She would never consent to wearing blankets, either."

"Even if she froze to death, she'd still be fashionable." Gracie said. They fortunately did not lack in blankets. Itchy, rough wool or flannel wasn't too comfortable, and the flashy plaid prints were rather ugly, but it was warm, and they made the perfect shawls to wear.

"Guys, look." Adele stopped them, pointing to nothing through the snow-encrusted evergreens that lined the garden paths. She chose that moment to lob her snowball at her friends, managing to nail Nicole on the side of her face.

Nicole let out a shriek, and spun around, eyes flashing dangerously as she looked for her attacker. She grinned, and bent to snatch up another handful of snow, and Adele chucked another, but missed, and earned a snowball to the head. She threw again, but accidently hit Gracie. Pretty soon, the five of them were engaged in a very intense snowball fight. Katherine stuffed a snowball down the back of Gracie's coat, and she squealed, and threw a handful of powder at Kathrine in return. Ebony snatched Adele's hat and filled it with snow, before jamming it back on her head, all in good fun. Adele screeched, and chucked another snowball. Even though they were exiled away from the palace, most of their friends had been eliminated or were gone, they could still have fun together. They were all each other had.

A few of the younger guards even joined in, and those who didn't cheered them on. They ended up splitting into the girls vs the guards, hiding behind the snow covered evergreens along the walk way, and pelting each other with snow. More and more joined in, even Juliet and Gilly came outside. Only the royals and the older guards were absent from the fun.

When Mitch was away, everyone suddenly became human again.

It wasn't long before they were breathless with laughter, fingers numb and clothes damp from melted snow. The guards rather reluctantly escorted them back inside as night was falling.

…

Night had fallen, and it was time.

Most of the rebels apparently relied on each other, because none of them were really paying attention, most asleep.

It would work to their advantage.

Nat clenched her hand into a fist, over and over. This was going to be hard, and it was going to be dangerous. She smoothed down the skirt of her dress, the same one she had escaped with, covered by a coat. Hopefully the disguise would work.

Her twin was inside that house, after all.

"You can do this." Ben whispered, tracing his hand over her shoulder blades. He turned her to him, and Nat stepped close into his arms. He bumped his forehead against hers. "But be safe, okay?"

"I'm scared." She confessed.

Ben rested his chin on top of her head, and was quiet for a moment. "I am too. But only for five seconds."

"What?" Nat glanced up at him.

"Give yourself five seconds to be afraid. Then stop, and do what it is you have to do. Every race I rode in, I let myself be frightened for five seconds, and gave into all the fears. And then I rode." Ben shrugged. "This is a bit different, I suppose."

"Well, what if it goes wrong, what if I can't do it?"

"Then come back to me. If it doesn't work, run. We'll be waiting for your signal, or your return." He kissed her quickly. "Ready?"

Nat stepped back, and swallowed her nerves. "Okay. I'm ready."

Colin stepped forward. "Ben's right. Be careful. He'll kill me if you don't come back." He attempted to joke, but it fell rather flat.

Nat took a deep breath. "Then let's go."

Alone, she left the stand of trees they had ridden too, and were hiding in. The night was dark, heavy, snow-filled clouds covering any light from the moon and stars. But the Yukon landscape was utterly silent, and that scared her.

_Five seconds. Five seconds to be afraid. _

She moved as quickly as possible through the thick snow, focusing on the light coming from the windows of the house, trying to get there as fast as she could. There was no wall, like the massive one surrounding the palace, so all she had to do…was walk up. The evergreen trees were thick around the house, so Nat let herself hide behind them to make sure no one was watching her.

That was the one good thing about Yukon. Plenty of trees.

_One _

She left the trees, and entered the snow covered garden. No one was insight, either asleep in their tent or inside.

_Two _

She spotted a man, walking the perimeter of the house, and nodded at them. Only Damien. Nothing devoid of the plan.

_Three_

She came to the back door, and tested the knob. Locked.

_Four _

She checked her watch. Jack was late. He was supposed to be at the door. A thousand thoughts raced through her head. He must not have gotten in in time. She tried it again, just to be sure. Nothing.

_Five. _

Nat took a deep breath. Time to be scared was up.

The knob opened.

"We keep these doors locked after—oh" It wasn't Jack. It was blonde girl; one Nat had never seen, holding the door open.

"Miss, you're not supposed to be outside now." She said.

"I know. I'm sorry. I got locked out." Nat said quickly.

"How did you get outside? It's after your curfew to be anywhere but your room."

She was in.

"I know. Please don't tell Mitch. The door wasn't locked, and no one was around. I just needed some air."

"You know, Gilly and I will be the ones punished if you guys escape. Let's get you to your room. But hurry, James told Gilly that Mitch is on his way back. And Miss Parker isn't with him, so you know he'll be mad."

"Mitch is on his way back?" Nat stopped short. That couldn't be good. And who was Miss Parker? The only person she knew with that last name was Mackenzie, and that girl was miles away, somewhere being a diva.

"Uh, you're not supposed to know that." The girl quickly shut the door. "Let's go. I don't want him to hit me if he catches us letting you break the rules."

Nat followed the blonde down the hall and up the stairs, noticing how cold it was, even inside. Mitch was definitely on his way here. If she hurried, maybe they could beat him. Besides, as Colin said, he was only one man. She could still do this.

"I'm going to have to lock your door now. I don't like to do that." The girl said, stopping at one of the many doors upstairs, and motioned for her to enter. "Go ahead."

"Thanks. For not telling Mitch." Nat said, hesitating to open the door. If she did, this girl might see Nicole, and know something was up.

"Don't mention it." She was distracted by a ring of keys, so Nat opened the door, and stepped inside.

"Goodnight." She shut it, probably faster than any normal person would.

There were five beds, and five girls, all sitting on two of them, facing each other, huddled in blankets and clustered around a deck of cards. Smiles from their game faded from their faces as they looked up at the sound of the door and saw her. She motioned for them to be quiet.

There was a rap on the door. "Lights out, guys!" The blonde girl called, and Nat heard her footsteps leave.

"Get dressed." She whispered. "Hurry. And put on layers, its cold."

Her twin stood up. "Nat?"

Nat blinked back tears. She was back.

In a few short steps, she crossed the room to meet Nicole, and threw her arms around her, hugging her tightly.

"What are you doing here?" Nicole stepped back, and held her twin at arm's length.

"We're rescuing you guys. But we have to hurry. Listen, they thought I was you, but that girl told me that Mitch is coming back."

"Her name's Juliet. She works for him, but I don't think she likes him very much." It was Gracie who spoke.

"Hey, Gracie." She hugged the younger girl, although she didn't look as young anymore.

"Wait, what's going on?" Ebony stood up. "How did you get away? How did you know we were here?"

"Nice to see you too, but it's a long story, and I don't have time to explain. We need to get you out. I'm going to signal the others." She went to the lamp and switched it off, and then on, and then left it off. "Okay. Now can you guys please get moving?"

"Who's 'we'? What others? Who are you working for?" Ebony pressed.

"I told you, I don't have time to explain. We're counter-revolutionaries. We don't work for anyone. Look, that girl told me Mitch is on his way. He'll probably wake everyone up and bring a lot more men with him, so we have to leave before he does."

No one moved, and Nat threw up her hands in frustration. She looked at Nicole.

"Can at least you help me get them going? We're running out of time."

"Nat, you don't understand. If we get caught, Mitch will probably kill us." She said.

"That's why we have to go!"

"Wait, how did you even find us?" Katherine spoke up.

"Someone called us and tipped General Connelly off. He told Elvira, and she told us."

"Wait, Elvira?" Gracie said.

"Yeah, she's part of our team. She'll be coming to extract us."

"How exactly are we getting out of here?" Katherine asked.

Nat motioned to the window. "We jump."

"Are you serious?" Ebony exclaimed.

"Yeah, I'm serious. Colin and Ben and the others are out there right now, creating a distraction so we can get away. But you guys have to hurry!" Nat was losing her patience.

"Colin? He's here?" Adele spoke for the first time, her voice suddenly strained. She stood up quickly.

"He's here to get you out." Nat told her. "Now get some shoes and a coat and come on!" Adele and Nicole obeyed her, finally, and got up to change.

"This is ridiculous. How many of you guys are there?" Ebony sat down, crossing her arms.

"Seven. But I promise, it will work."

"We're all going to die." The brunette muttered, but she stood up anyway, and went to the closet. Katherine followed her. Gracie still hesitated.

"Nat, what about Ethan?"

Nat sighed. This was taking way too long. "Look, Gracie, we can't bring him tonight. It's you guys first. But we're coming back for him. For all of them. I promise."

"We can't just leave him!" Gracie cried. "I can't go."

"Gracie, please!" Nat was starting to panic. The blonde shook her head fiercely.

"I'm not leaving him. If we go, Mitch might suspect him. He could kill him. He could kill all of them."

"And us too, if we get caught." Katherine paused, holding her coat but not putting it on. "It's too dangerous."

"Not as dangerous as if you stay here." This was definitely a problem she hadn't seen coming. She turned to the other three. "Are you coming?"

"I'm ready." Adele said.

"Me too." Nicole wrapped a blanket folded in half around her shoulders.

Ebony shrugged. "I guess."

…

**ENDS AWKWARDLY BECAUSE THIS WAS GETTING TO LONG SO I HAD TO SPLIT IT UP SORRY**

**Expect the next update soon, for once I promise! Not much else to say, though I would love to hear your thoughts! Also, if there is any scene you would like to see (within reason) or any character cameo (again, within reason) let me know, it's getting closeish to the ending after only a billion chapters…**

**Please review!  
-Shades**


	102. Tried It

**The Story: Several months ago I asked for book recommendations and several people told me Game of Thrones, so I decided to ruin my life and read them because I don't have HBO (*crying*). It took all summer between waiting to get the next one and with a couple other books, but now I'm in a post just-read-an-amazing-series slump please send help and more recommendations and an HBO account. **

**Shout out and rewards with a next-day chapter for **delovlies, UltimateMaxmericaShipper, XOStarbrightXO, Lizcran**! Technically, this is the 100****th**** actual chapter. Nothing special about it, but I think it's better than the last one. (WHAT AM I DOING WITH MY LIFE?)**

**Once again, this is pretty rushed, but there are some moments that are pretty good, if I do say so myself. There's narration from Nat and Adele, and it picks up right after the last one left off (like I wrote them in the same sitting, so…)**

…

Nat opened the window, stiffening at the rush of freezing air. It had started to snow, so that was good. Outside, she could hear shouts at the soldier's camp, and she saw the fire. So far, all was going to plan.

"Follow me." She climbed out on the ledge, resting her feet on ledge of the roof. It was only one story to the ground, which was cushioned by snow. It wasn't that far, but still she looked for a way to climb down. They were at the back of the house, which would shield them from anyone guarding out front. Unfortunately, there wasn't a porch they climb onto either.

There was, however, a tree on the side of the house. If they could climb over to the edge, they could far more safely climb down the tree. To do so, they would have to climb up, to where the windows bumped out, instead of scrabbling along the straight brick walls. It would tough, but Nat was sure they could do it. They had too.

Nat leaned back inside the window. "You guys can still come with us. It's not too late." She said to Gracie and Katherine. More than anything, she wished Sirena was here. She would make them come. But she was not letting another one of her friends be killed at the hands of the rebels.

Katherine shook her head, her eyes tearful.

"I can't leave him." Gracie whimpered.

Nat knew there was nothing else she could do. Nat was going to get her sister out, and Adele and Ebony, one way or another.

Gunshots pierced the stillness of the snowy night, and she froze halfway out the window. She could only hope the rest of her friends were okay and she would have someone to come back to.

_Keep going. _

She pulled herself onto the top of the window-well, and scrambled to reach the one from the neighboring room. The snow made everything icy and the wind blew relentlessly against her. Adele was second to climb out the window, looking pathetically cold in a dress from the palace, with only a Yukon sweatshirt with the hood pulled up and a delicate wrap better suited for covering shoulders at a state dinner than the snow, wrapped around her neck like a scarf. She paused for a moment, scanning the darkness, for any sign of Colin.

During the Selection, Nat hadn't known how deep the two were involved, but since she had actually met Colin as just a girl and not a lady, she had heard him say things about Adele that made her realize it was far more than a physical relationship between them. She would get them back to each other.

But then someone screamed.

It was a plea, a cry for help, coming back from the vacated room.

"NO!" Came the cry. Nat didn't know who it was, but she knew she had run out of time.

Nicole was halfway out the window, and turned around to look. She looked at Nat for a second, and she looked torn between going back and going forward.

Then she disappeared.

And Nat knew she had failed.

With only Adele, she tried to continue the climb, but before she could, a figure was leaning out the window, armed with a gun.

"It's Mitch." Adele hissed at her, as they ducked behind a window well. "He's here."

She was terrified.

_Five _

Sirens started blaring from everywhere and nowhere, and lights came on in the yard.

_Four _

From down below, two rebel soldiers dragged out a girl, kicking and shouting. For a second, Nat thought it was Gracie.

"What did you do, Juliet?" One cried.

It was the girl who had opened the door for Nat. "I promise I didn't do anything!"

_Three_

She heard more gunshots, closer this time. There was more yelling, and even from here, she recognized Colin and Ben's voices.

_Two _

Nat tried to move, to climb to the side of the house to the tree. But it would take too damn long. She and Adele would be caught. They were out of time.

"We can't make it." She murmured. She grabbed Adele's hand.

_One _

They jumped.

It took a moment for Nat to realize they had landed, only feeling the icy wetness of the snow, the wail of the sirens pounding in her head. She sat up, and shook her head, dazed.

Then everything became clear again, and she jumped up.

"Adele, come on!" They had to run, run to the trees, to where Michelle was waiting with the horses. Just like a race.

She pulled her friend up, but with a cry, Adele crumpled back down.

"I can't! My knee…"

Nat was not going to lose another. Sirena had died so she could get away. Nicole was still stuck with Mitch with the rest. She was not going to let Adele be killed for escaping.

"Get on my back."

"Nat, just leave me here. You have to get away." Adele begged, clutching her knee.

"I'm not leaving you." Nat yanked her up, awkwardly helping Adele get on her back, piggy back style. "I'm getting you to Colin."

But Adele was too heavy. Nat staggered under the girl's weight. They were both about the same height, and Nat had never been particularly strong. The snow only made things wor"If Mitch catches you, he'll kill you for sure. You aren't in the Selection anymore. That won't protect you."

"He'll kill you too for escaping."

She had almost made out of the garden and to those trees, away from the lights and the soldiers, when there were shouts behind them. She glanced back, but she already knew. They'd been spotted.

She tried to run, but with Adele on her back, she couldn't.

_Then come back to me._

Ben's words earlier came back to her. She had failed.

"Just let me go and run." Adele was squirming now. "You have a head start!"  
"I promise; we'll get you out of here before they kill you."

There wasn't time for more. Nat let go of Adele, and she fell into the snow, and Nat raced into the trees.

But she wasn't defeated yet. None of them were.

…

The cold from the snow seemed to seep into Adele's very bones and it was a lifetime before the soldiers were on her and Nat had left.

She had promised to save her before she was killed, but what could Nat do if they shot her right then?

Sirena had died. So could Adele.

_I'm sorry, Colin. _

Now she would die without telling him it was only him. For confessing to Mitch that she loved Ethan. Because it was the only way to stop him.

Her knee ached, a tight burning sensation deep in her joint. That's what you got when you jumped off of roofs. She had hit her head, too, when she landed, and that hurt too. Everything hurt or was cold.

Adele was half in a daze as the soldiers clustered around her, aiming flashlights at her eyes and putting handcuffs on her.

_As if I could run away…_

They had mean, hard eyes. The kind of eyes that made her scared. These men had no morals. Only one of them had kind eyes, but he was scared too.

They hauled her to her feet, and dragged her through the snow. Between the tight handcuffs and her knee, she could only let herself be half carried and stumble through the snow drifts, back to the house that had become a prison.

She hated Yukon.

She hated Mitch.

And most of all, she hated herself for being here. All for some stupid fairy tale notion in her head, of marrying a prince. It hadn't worked, yet she had stayed in Ethan's Selection for Colin.

And now this. Ethan hadn't spoken to her or even looked her in the eyes since the Convicting. Colin was going to get himself killed trying to rescue her. And Mitch was going to kill her.

At least when they were inside, they were out of the punishing wind. It wasn't much warmer, though, and her knee still hurt. The soldiers marched her into the big room in the back of the house, where everyone was waiting. Usually, during their hourly time to all be together, Adele loved this room, with its bay windows showing the snowy landscape outside, the golden lamps and the outdated furniture made it seem so cozy and warm. Not anymore.

Nicole and Ebony were there, but since neither of them had made it out the window, they were spared the handcuffs and guards. Still, they were dressed for escape, and stood separate from Katherine and Gracie, both shivering in nightgowns. Only Ebony wasn't crying, or close to it. Her face was a hard mask of anger.

The king and queen were there, their faces pale, their dignity gone. Both were garbed for sleep, with messy hair and robes, looking just as scared as the girls.

_Why aren't you angry? _Adele wanted to scream at them. _Fight back! _

It was strange to see them without Michelle, Andrew, and Christine, but Wesley was there, his face puffy from sleep. Ethan finally looked at her, as if he was trying to tell her something, but she couldn't figure it out. He and Wesley both looked like little kids, in their pajamas, tee shirts and flannel pants, with their hair sticking up awkwardly. She probably did too, in her sweatshirt and nightgown.

Because they were, anyway. They were all just kids. Even Mitch.

Juliet and Gilly were off to one side. Juliet's left eye was swollen from where the soldiers had hit her, and she was sobbing loudly as Gilly patted her back.

There was no sign of Colin or anyone else who may have been helping him, so Adele hoped they had gotten away. The people swam before her, and she winced as her head pounded.

Mitch stood before all of them, as if this was some sort of sick wedding. He smiled wickedly at her, and she felt naked. He knew. He knew everything.

And he was going to kill her.

The soldiers who had captured her closed the door behind them, and shoved Adele forward. A stab of pain lanced through her knee, and her legs buckled and she fell down in front of Mitch.

Hot tears of embarrassment and pain and frustration stung her eyes. But she would _not _cry. She struggled to her feet, and straightened her stupid gown, damp from the snow, and fixed her hair.

The silence pervaded the room, only broken by Juliet's sobs. The rest of the Selected girls managed to cry quietly.

Finally, Mitch spoke. "So, Miss Warren, you abused my hospitality and tried to escape?" He said it casually, like he always did. And it only made it worse.

Adele gritted her teeth. "Yes." Her head ached, her knee ached, and the room was freezing, the lights suddenly to bright.

"Why?" He stepped closer.

She didn't answer, only stared him down. He wasn't a very tall man, and she realized he wasn't much older than her, maybe even younger. His angular jaw clenched, and his fair hair covered his eyes as he held his arms behind his back.

"I asked you, why did you try to escape?"

Adele didn't know what to say, her headache was getting worse now, and a loud ringing filled her ears. Once again she remained silent.

So he hit her.

He hit her so hard with his forearm she fell down again, landing on her knee and making her cry out. Pain spiked through her skull, and the tears were back. Her lip had split open, and was bleeding.

Mitch stood over her, glaring. He was mad now. "Who helped you? My men said someone was with you." He moved to hit her again, and Adele covered her face with her hands.

"Don't you touch her again!" It was Ethan, she saw, stepping forward and shoving Mitch away from her. But everything was getting so hazy and it was so hard to stay awake…. Adele couldn't quite tell what was going on. Her head hurt so bad now. She just wanted to go to sleep.

There was a lot of scuffling and screaming and yelling, and then someone was holding a gun to her head.

_Don't make promises you can't keep, Nat. _She thought vaguely, blinking to clear her fuzzy vision. Then the someone took away the gun, and she realized she was still alive. Adele squeezed her eyes shut, willing away the pain.

She opened her eyes. It was quieter now, and her vision cleared. She sat up. Juliet, Gilly, Mitch and all the soldiers were gone, leaving the royal family and Selected to themselves. Gracie was crying, and Katherine was comforting her. Ethan knelt by her side, wiping blood off his smashed nose.

"Adele? Are you okay?"

"Are _you_ okay? You're bleeding." She asked him, rubbing her forehead. For all the pain a few minutes ago, she suddenly felt much better.

"You passed out." It was the first time they had spoken for a long time.

"Did I? I don't remember."

"Yeah. After Mitch hit you."

"I hit my head on the ground when we jumped. I hurt my knee." Her split lip felt clumsy and she added to her list of body parts that hurt. She was just so tired…

"Who jumped?" Ethan lowered his voice.

"Nat." Adele looked at him like he was stupid before she remembered he hadn't been there.

"Nat was here?"

"She said she was helping Colin."

Ethan stiffened, and Adele realized what she had said. She looked up and found him incredibly close, his eyes crinkled and worried. She should love him. It would be so much easier. She would have stayed in that room with Gracie and Katherine because they really did love him. She wouldn't be here right now.

"Ethan…" She didn't know what else to say. The ringing in her ears was back. "Ethan, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for him to happen. I didn't want for it to happen." She tried to explain, but it was too hard. She was too tired. Her limbs felt lead-heavy as she tried to touch him, to make him understand. His face faded from her view, but it came back after she blinked.

"I was going to choose you. If no one else would work, it would have been you."

"I did love you. I think I did love you. I did." He just wouldn't understand. It wasn't her fault. "But you weren't him."

"For a while I thought you were her. You were the first girl I'd ever kissed. You could have at least told me."

"You weren't supposed to find out."

Black started to creep around her vision again. The ringing in her ears intensified, and she felt like she was falling down a chasm. She slumped against Ethan's shoulder, unable to hold herself up anymore.

"I'm sorry." She whispered.

"Adele, listen to me. Mitch will be back any minute. He's taking you away. He said you'll still be close, but he's going to use you to try to lure the guys who helped you escape back here so he can end their counter-revolution."

_Colin. _

"I have to get out of here. You have to help me." She tried to get up but her limbs wouldn't work right. Everything hurt, and she was acutely aware of where she had been shot in the shoulder.

"I don't think you are in any position to run off again. You're pretty hurt."

"No I'm not, you're just really blurry." She tried to argue. Ethan turned around and she could see him talking to someone else, but it was too much effort to comprehend what he was saying.

She came to again when Mitch came back in the room, blinking past the haziness. He marched over to her, scowling. If her limbs didn't feel so heavy, she would have tried to defend herself.

He jerked her up by her handcuffs, and Adele cringed at the metal digging into her wrist's tendons. He threw her roughly to the soldiers who accompanied him. "Take her to the keep. Make sure she doesn't escape. If they found where she was once, they can do it again."

Adele didn't remember much after that. It was a short trip, out of the house and back into the snowy night. She remembered blacking out and falling back into the snow, and having to be carried none too nicely the rest of the way. It was dark, so she didn't know where they were going. They got into a car, and she was blindfolded. It wasn't too long before they stopped and led her outside again, so at least it was close. The guards didn't hurt her or speak to her, for which she was grateful, only made her keep moving. She remembered just the other day some of them helping clean up after the disastrous dinner, and their snowball battle. They were entirely different now.

They went inside somewhere, and up a set of stairs, but of course it was still cold. Mitch apparently wanted her to freeze to death.

When they removed her blindfold, they left quickly and quietly leaving her alone in her new confinement.

It was a small room, as to be expected. The ceilings sloped down on either side of the rectangular room, making Adele feel rather claustrophobic. A set of bunk beds were built in on one side, with a small table and a lamp. A single window stood opposite the door—both locked. Across from the beds on the long side of the room was a small fireplace and a chair in the corner. A long worn carpet covered the wooden floors, nothing hanging on the wood walls. Maybe with some nice decorations it would have been considered cozy, but it was so cold cozy was the last thing on her mind. As usual, there was no wood to start a fire, even if she did know how.

Her clothes were damp from the snow, but she didn't have anything to change into. She took off her shoes, a pair of flats with a pair of wool socks pulled over them to keep them on, and spread them out to dry, along with her sweatshirt. She took off most of the layers she had donned when Nat made her surprise appearance, except the last one, a stupid nightgown she had brought from the palace. She pulled one of the heavy plaid quilts from the top bunk and sat down in the chair, wrapping it around her to stop her chattering teeth.

She must have passed out again, but it was still dark. Someone was opening the door, but she couldn't stay awake long enough or make herself wake up. After a few minutes, she summoned the strength, and found no one there, but there was a stack of clothes and a covered plate of food on the floor by the door. She got up, turned off the lamp and crawled into the bottom bunk and fell back asleep.

The sky was light when she woke up. Her head ached, but it didn't feel quite so foggy or disoriented. She got up and held the quilt tightly around her and limped to the window. The snow overnight had stopped, and the sun was shining merrily, everything sparkling and white outside. The only thing out her window was more snow and Yukon's abundance of trees, so there was no clue of where she was.

She turned around, wondering when Mitch would show up. He had said she was going to be incentive, and that scared her. She could always break the window, but there was nothing to break it with. The chair was even bolted down.

Adele spotted the clothes from the middle of the night, and went to them. At least something to occupy the time. The plate only held two pieces of toast and a bowl of soup, now cold, but she ate them anyway. There were a few of her dresses from the palace she had brought, as well as a sweatshirt that she had never seen, more socks and underwear, and a pair of black cotton pants and a long sleeved shirt.

Her other things were still wet, not drying in the cold room, so she eagerly put on the pants and shirt, which felt weird after months of dresses. Her knee was still painful to walk on and it was swollen, but it didn't hurt quite so bad. Adele reached for the sweatshirt, and a piece of paper fell out of the folds. She retrieved it, hoping to hear of something. It was a sheet of lined paper, folded up, with writing on the outside.

_Sorry it has to be cold. Mitch would suspect the smoke. Hope the clothes help. Be ready in two days, he'll be leaving so I'll see if I can do it then. Your friends will be waiting; I will contact them to tell them where you are. _

Confused, she unfolded it, but there was nothing else to go by. She had no idea what the writer was talking about. Were her friends the rest of the Selected, or Colin and Nat? What was she supposed to be ready for? The only thing she did know was that someone was going to help her escape.

And she would be ready.

…

**YUSSS plot twists**

**I usually write announcements here, but not much to say. I have pinned several things on my Pinterest for inspiration, if it helps me, it might interest you, but it's nothing important! **

**Please review!**

**-Shades**


	103. Sending Out Flares

**The Story: *Writes update ahead of time to post for three days in a row* *forgets to post update* Well, it needed some editing anyway… **

**Shoutout to **UltimateMaxmericaShipper, lizcran **and **delovlies **for reviewing this whole time! Thanks for sticking with me after all this time! **

**Note: this chapter brings a new storyline, that I never actually wrote, but in the back of my mind, it did happen, and it makes it sort of clear here. It also does go back and mention several things from earlier chapters, specifically 90 and 91, and I had to go back and read old stuff a lot for this one. Italics are flashbacks/not in the present. (or thoughts as usual, but should not be an entire section) **

…

_There were many things that ran through Ethan's mind, and the most important one was why had he given her rubies. And he hadn't said goodbye. _

_ "It could have been you." He whispered. "It could have been you." _

_ No response. Of course there wouldn't be. _

_Goodbyes were usually hard, but he didn't know when he would ever see them again. Last night, Gracie had tried to tell him to marry her, and he had left without telling her what happened. Nicole had screamed at him and hit him. Katherine had been the one he ran to, who hugged him while he cried and gave him strength. _

_ And then his body remembered he was drunk and he had gone to Ebony's room, told her everything that had happened, and she had kissed him and they made out until she ended it and told him to leave before it went any further. _

_ He was supposed to have left already. His brothers were on their way already, but he had stayed. They wouldn't let him speak to Nat, still under arrest in her room. The doctors had let him Adele's hospital room, but she was so sedated, he could only hold her hand and ask her why she has stood up for that guy and betrayed him and never get a response. _

_ The palace's hospital even had a morgue. The one place he had never been, until now. _

_ The blood was gone, and she maybe could have been sleeping. That bright red lipstick she always wore was on, her fiery red hair curls and arranged over one shoulder. She was wearing the pale golden ball gown she had worn when they had photographed them in wedding gowns. Never being one to conform, she had picked gold instead of white. _

_She had been so easy to talk to, and she didn't need to impress anyone—she already impressed enough. She didn't care what other people thought about her, and in turn, she didn't judge you in return._

_ But he still couldn't figure out why he had given her rubies. It was like jinxing her, but how was he supposed to know that she would be shot? _

_ She was wearing them now, the crimson stark against her pale skin and the color of her gown, just like her lipstick. The last time he had spoken to her was the night before the Convicting, when he had given her those stupid blood red jewels. And he had kissed her. Or more accurately, she had kissed him when he had been too awkward to continue his first move. And then she had said good night, and "Thanks for the jewelry. And for everything." _

_ And then because she was here because of him, she had been shot, and bled out, blood just like the color of her necklace in the second floor hallway, alone. He hadn't even been there. She had even thanked him. _

_ And he remembered Sirena was dead. And he hadn't even said goodbye. _

_._

He never said goodbye to Adele either. And it could have been her.

Adele had been caught last night, and all day had gone by and no word of where she was. At least Mitch hadn't come around, though he was here. It was their nightly time to be together, but no one was saying much. In fact, all the Selected had taken their leave, leaving the royal family alone. Or at least who was left.

With Andrew, Christine, and Michelle gone, it was weird.

It still didn't change anything.

Ethan glared at his father. He should have listened. If he hadn't of started the draft after the Convicting attack, there never would have been a civil war. If he hadn't sent his sons away, Ethan never would have been captured. He would never have been used as bait to disarm the monarchy and they wouldn't be here now, and Adele wouldn't have been taken, and Ethan wouldn't have to worry about another one of his girls being killed.

His father should have listened.

"This is your fault." He muttered.

Jackson seemed to know an accusation at him, even though the comment hadn't been directed.

"How is this my fault? Ethan, I know you are upset about your little Five being taken away, but she did try to escape. Your brother is more important to worry about. And Michelle. We still have no idea where she is."

"It's always about Andrew, isn't it?" Ethan accused. At this, Wesley quietly left.

"Ethan, darling, maybe this isn't the time." His mother interjected, laying a hand on his arm.

"If it wasn't for him, we wouldn't even be here."

"It's not my fault Mitch captured you. No one was supposed to know where you were. I'm still not sure how he knew."

"You sent me out! You started the draft!" Ethan stood up, shouting now. "You started this war!"

"I am not Mitch. I know you hate me, but I'm still your father." Jackson was on his feet, yelling too.

The doors opened, and the guards entered. "Is there a problem?" One of them asked. He was one of the nicer soldiers, who didn't march Ethan and Wesley around the property during their exercise. James, he thought. His name is James.

Ethan clenched his jaw, and backed off, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "No." He said.

"I'm sorry, I can't have you guys yelling. It makes us think there's a problem."

"Sorry." He murmured. It was pointless. His dad wouldn't listen anyway.

"It's almost nine. Make sure you're back in your rooms." James left them alone after that, and his mother followed after a few minutes of tense silence.

"I never was supposed to be king."

Ethan didn't respond. He knew the story. His uncle, his dad's older brother had died early into his rule.

"It's obvious now, isn't it?" His father laughed humorlessly. "The whole country is in turmoil. There's a civil war, and those who fight for the monarchy are losing. The draft ended with soldiers going to the other side. Our only hope is a rumor of some rag-tag gang of fighters. I couldn't even keep my own family safe. And now we're at the mercy of a madman, somewhere in exile in the north."

Ethan could only stare out the window. In all his years, he had never heard his father admit any sort of failure or weakness, or sound so hopeless. In the reflection, he watched Jackson drop into one of the chairs, head in his hands.

"I just don't want it to happen to you."

"It won't. There's Andrew." Ethan denied the statement quickly.

"He could be dead already, or we may never see him again. Who knows where Mitch has taken him. And who knows who may be next? He's already taken Lady Adele."

"She's not a lady anymore. None of them are. Just like I'm not a prince and you're not a king."

"I guess you're right. It doesn't matter anymore. Any of it." Jackson stood slowly, as if he had aged ten years since sitting down minutes ago. "But if it was any consolation, even if you loved her, I don't think she loved you. The girls that stayed behind, they love you."

"But like you said, it doesn't matter." Ethan turned away again. But he wondered, if his father would have gone to try to reach freedom, or if he would have stayed.

"They're here because they were in the palace for you. You could at least have the dignity to not ignore them."

"So you're saying it's my fault?"

"That they're here, yes. That we're here….no. That's mine." Jackson lowered his head, refusing to meet his son's eyes.

Ethan didn't say anything, so his father took his leave.

Ethan sat down. He wasn't ready to go back yet. He just wanted everything to go back and be the way it was.

But it never would.

The door opened, and he stood up, ready to be escorted back to his room.

"I think I've puzzled you out."

Ethan tensed up, hearing Mitch's grating voice. _Great._ He said nothing.

"You love all of them. How sad. You know, you're supposed to only pick one at the end, if that would have worked out. You weren't there, of course, when Adele ran after Colin. Traitors, both of them. I rescued him from the Convicting and he was one of my top guards, and then he escaped with one of my top spies, oh, and one of your ladies."

"Don't you dare hurt Adele." Ethan wanted to strangle the man. But that meant dying himself. Mitch only scoffed, holding his hands behind his back.

"I can't hurt her, Ethan. Only you can."

"What does that even mean?" He threw up his hands in frustration, and turned away.

"It means I'm making a deal with you. You do what I ask, and no harm comes to Adele."

"How can I be sure you won't hurt her."

Mitch shrugged. "I'm a man of my word."

Ethan had to laugh. "I'm sure you are."

"I kept my promise that I wouldn't kill any of you, right? My request is a simple one. You can say no anytime."

He gritted his teeth. "What do you want?"

Mitch smiled, a nasty sort of smile. "Just one thing. I want Ebony."

_Ebony. _In his mind, he saw her, dark hair tussled and dark eyes flashing, holding her chin up higher even though she was a Seven. Her little half-smirk when he had come to her room the drunk night after the Convicting and made out with her before he was supposed to leave for Lakedon, as a salve to ease the pain. Mitch wanted her, and he could only imagine why.

"So why haven't you taken her?"

"Because she's still part of your Selection. Just eliminate her, or whatever. Don't worry, I won't hurt her either, and she'll still be held here. She's just out of your Selection."

"What are you going to do to her?"

"I just don't want her to belong to you anymore."

It was a simple enough request. Eliminate Ebony, but still have her around. Keep Adele from getting hurt. But the answer stuck in his throat. He hadn't known Ebony as long as the others, and sometimes half the things she said didn't make sense. But she was so brutally honest, and it was refreshing. She didn't pad things, she didn't play games, and she was tough. Adele didn't love him anyway, but he wouldn't let her get hurt if he could do something to stop it. Like his father said, it didn't matter anyway. The Selection was over.

"Okay, fine. You win."

Mitch smirked. "I always win. I'll make sure she knows." He opened the door and motioned for Ethan to leave in front of him. "One more thing. I may not be so kind if someone else tries to escape. Make sure your ladies know that. It's not a deal, so to speak. Just know, if you help them, I will have to kill you."

He shut the door, leaving Ethan alone in the hallway. There was nothing else to do, so Ethan went to his room, dreading seeing Ebony again. It would be tomorrow, after dinner, during their hour all together.

He sat for an hour, trying to read one of the books that had been in his room. In such a small room, he could not imagine it was a bedroom in the residence of the former Yukon governor. There were lots of book filled book cases, so it was probably someone's office. He couldn't sleep anyway.

It was late when she did come. Later than Mitch would have allowed before. Usually his door was guarded, but since she wasn't a Selected anymore, they didn't seem to mind when she stormed in.

"Why?" Was all she demanded, before she had even stopped moving. She crossed her arms, and glared at him.

Ethan didn't have an answer. "Ebony, I-"

She didn't let him speak. "Look, I get that I was added later and everything, but I thought we had something special. You can't really connect with just one person with thirty-five others, can you? You can't just kiss someone like you did and pretend it didn't mean anything!"

She stopped, and glared at him, waiting for an answer.

"I had to." Was all he had.

"No, you didn't have to! Why would you just give me up like that?" She demanded. "You wouldn't have done it for Gracie. Or Katherine."

"You don't know that. Ebony, I'm sorry. I really am. You girls are here on my account, and I didn't want to lose another one of you."

"He's not going to kill Adele, you know."

Ethan bristled. "How do you know? He promised to hurt her unless I did this!"

To his shock, her eyes got misty, and she threw her hands in the air. "Do I mean nothing to you? Adele didn't even love you!"

He grabbed her hands, restraining her from the inevitable slap he probably had earned.

"Listen to me. Mitch told us the Selection was pretty much over anyway. So what does it matter if all I do is _say _you've been eliminated?"

"But you-"

"Did you want to escape? Did you try to go with Nat?"

Ebony blinked at him, caught off guard. "…Yes. I was ready to go, but then Mitch came in."

"How did he find out?"

"Nat said something about pretending to be Nicole, and Juliet let her back in."

"But he wasn't even here when she came, was he? He hadn't been back since dinner. So how did he know? He has someone, here on the inside, someone who told him what was happening."

"Why are you asking me?" Ebony cried. She sat down on his bed suddenly, buried her face in her hands, her shoulders shaking.

She was crying.

Ethan froze. Women weren't his strong point, but weeping women were an entirely different minefield.

She raised her face, streaked with tears. "You don't trust me. You never have because I'm from Yukon and your father was the one who wanted to add another girl. You just kept me around to try to appease the rebels, but then you go and kiss me like you did before you left? And now you say that I am no longer here for you? Why are you doing this to me, Ethan?"

"Ebony, I need to tell you something."

"Whatever it is, I don't want to hear it." She stood up, and pushed past him toward the door.

"Wesley and I are planning an escape."

She came to an abrupt stop, and stood rooted to the ground for a moment.

"They leave us in the same room during the day," He continued, "And we mean to get everyone out of here."

Ebony turned around, and opened her mouth to speak, but stopped. Then, she strode across the room, grabbed his face with her hands, and kissed him.

She pressed herself close, her arms entwining around his neck. It was such an abrupt change, but he couldn't push her away. He wrapped his hands around her waist, drawing her nearer. With her, he forgot. He forgot the escape plan, he forgot Adele, he forgot Mitch, and his father, and everything. It was only her lips on his, her touch, her scent. It was only them.

Ebony broke it off after several moments. She leaned her forehead against his. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that. But to hear that…"

"I'm not." This time, he kissed her. Again, she broke it off.

"How do you mean to do this?" She asked.

"We haven't worked out all the details yet. But we're getting there. I don't want to leave anyone behind. The first priority is to get you girls out. You shouldn't be here. It's my fault."

Ebony sighed deeply, and then squeezed his hand. "It's not your fault. You didn't do this. We are here for you, but it's not your fault. It was your Selection anyway. It's just a tradition. We got caught up in the mess."

He shook his head. "I should have picked someone before this, or made my father listen to me or-"

"Ethan, it doesn't matter anymore." She brushed back a strand of her chocolate-brown hair, and her lips formed a sad smile. "Mitch is the one who brought us here."

"But I'm going to get us out. So just because I told Mitch I agreed doesn't mean anything."

"Oh, if only we could." She sat down again on his bed. "I can't believe you are going to try to escape. It's all I've thought about since we got here. When Nat showed up, I can't believe I didn't get out of the window fast enough. I would have gotten out."

Her words stung him. She had been going to leave him. He didn't want to believe it.

"What, and leave me here all alone?" He sat down next to her.

She smiled, and lowered her gaze. "Ever since I was little, I always wanted to leave Yukon. It's like my dream. So when I was Selected, I couldn't believe it."

"I remember you not being very happy at first."

"Well, the rest of the girls didn't exactly make me feel welcome. And it was kind of scary. And now I'm back here. I don't plan on being stuck here the rest of my life. But when Nat showed up…I wanted to go. I wanted to end all this, but I didn't want to leave you behind, so after she and Adele climbed out the window, I decided to stay behind. But Mitch showed up and everything changed, of course. And then when the soldiers told me that Mitch wanted to see me just now, and he explained what had happened, I felt like you betrayed me. I know you didn't know, but to me…"

Ethan closed the distance between them, and shut her up with a kiss.

"But if I hadn't, you wouldn't be here right now." He murmured, pulling away for a second. Ebony smirked, and pressed her palm against his cheek.

"Maybe Mitch isn't as smart as he thinks, then." She brushed her lips over his cheek.

She was right.

Mitch hadn't won this yet. He hadn't even won Ebony. And no matter what he thought, Ethan was going to help his girls escape.

…

**Well, I guess you'll love it or hate it. Personally, I think Ebony is a really great character, and I'm excited to write what I have planned for her! Hopefully this chapter made sense, especially Ethan's flashback. I know it's been a couple months between those chapters and this one! Evidently, I lost a lot of readers, because I hardly ever get any reviews anymore :( *complains a lot***

**As always, please review!**

**-shades**


	104. Ain't Come This Far To Lose

**The Story: I can now say I have snuck in an entire meal of ice cream, chicken nuggets, and fries to the movie theater. It was fantastic. **

**As usual, sorry this took so long, blame the writer's block! I'm still not completely satisfied with this chapter after many rewrites, and if I actually intended to publish this I would continue editing, but it's just a fanfiction, and it's good enough for me, so here it is! **

**Shout out to **Lizcran, XOStarbrightXO, **and **delovlies **for reviewing,** **as well as two new reviewers **Princess Andromeda II** and **Jessvdb15**! THANK!**

_**Recap of the last chapters: Adele has been taken away from the house, and jailed for attempting to escape after Nat attempted to break in, but when we last heard from her, she had received a note from an unknown person promising to help her escape. See the end of chapter 102 for more! **_

…

The longest two days of her life.

As the afternoon wore on, Adele realized that trying to remain calm wasn't going to work anymore. Her stomach was in knots, her hands shaky, starting at every noise and constantly pressing her ear to the door or straining to look out the window.

Nothing.

Adele stood up from where she had sat down only a moment ago, wincing as she put weight on her knee. It was a lot better than it had been, but it still hurt. The first day she had been plagued by dizzy spells and a gruesome headache, but that was mostly gone today.

The note had said that Mitch would be leaving, and she should be ready to ready for whoever it was to "do it then" and that "her friends would be waiting.

The two endless days hadn't provided her with answers, only more time to think. A rebel soldier had brought her some food this morning, but hadn't said anything aside from "here you go", so she didn't know if he was the same one who wrote the first note or not.

It could be anyone. If Nat and Colin had been able to find them once, they could find her again. They could have infiltrated the ranks of the rebels. It could be someone she didn't even know, working for the monarchy. She had no idea.

Adele checked the window again. The sun was sinking lower in the west, gilding the snow golden outside. It would be dark in soon. Maybe that's when they were going to do whatever they had mentioned in the note. She walked restlessly to the door, and listened for any sound.

Silence.

She huffed a sigh, and turned to make sure everything was ready when the time did come. She was wearing the pants and shirt that had been delivered with the note, along with some of her clothes from the palace. She only had a sweatshirt, but she figured if she had to be outside for a long time she would bring one of the quilts that had been in her tiny prison. She had layered over the pants and shirt two dresses, after ripping the hems so they wouldn't make her trip if she had run, because one layer was not going to be enough.

Shoes were another problem. Footwear in the palace tended to be heels and heels only. She had a few pairs of flats and sandals but she hadn't packed but one pair of them in the hurry. When Nat had shown up, she had jammed them on over a pair of the wool socks that Juliet and Gilly had brought, and put another pair on top to keep them on. It was all they had, though it was pretty worthless.

She sat down again, drumming her fingers on her leg as she desperately attempted to stave off the anxiety of waiting.

She didn't have to wait long.

All of the sudden, she heard a bang from downstairs. It sounded like a slamming door. Adele sprang to her feet, and grabbed her blanket and the rest of her stuff tied in the pillowcase.

Loud, rapid footfalls banged on the stairs, getting louder and louder. Whoever it was wasn't afraid to be making a lot of noise. Hopefully, whoever it was had written the note, or at least was acting on their actions.

She heard them coming quickly down the hall, and the footsteps stopped outside the door, replaced by the jangling of keys. One jingled around in the lock, and Adele heard a muttered curse as the key was dropped. They picked it up and the bolt clicked away as it was disengaged.

The door opened.

It was Juliet.

"I hoped you would be ready. Let's go." She said.

"You? You wrote the note?" Adele managed out of shock.

"Not my handwriting, but I'm here because of them."

Skinny and petite, blonde and blue eyed, and working in Mitch's prison, Juliet wasn't exactly who Adele was expecting. She looked much different now, out of her regulation dress, off for the night. She wasn't avoiding eye contact or shrinking away from everyone, but wore a cocky smile and her eyes were bright with excitement.

"Do you work for Colin?"

"He your boyfriend? That guy who staged the first escape attempt? Nah, I don't even know him. But he's working with my employer."

"You don't work for Mitch?"

Juliet shrugged, tossing her blonde hair over her shoulders. "He thinks I clean and cook for him. I do, but only so I know everything that is going on. Now no more questions. It's time to go."

Without waiting for a reply or another question, Juliet turned and left the room, Adele following.

They went down the empty hallway with a handful of closed doors on either side, and down the stairs into the foyer of the building. Two days ago, Adele had been blindfolded during this part. The foyer was empty, like the hallway, of people, furniture, even a carpet on the cold wood floor. There was a cheerful front door with small glass windows on either side, and another short hallway like the one they had just come out of, but there were no large rooms. Juliet took Adele down the lower hallway, to the last door, which was already open.

"What is this place?" Adele asked as they stepped inside.

"Where you were staying a few days ago with the others was where the governor of Yukon used to spend his vacations. This was his guest house, or where his staff stayed. At least until the rebels took over." Juliet didn't pause as she entered the room. It was empty too, except for a few shelves with some canned food and several boxes. She opened one, and fished out a pair of snow boots, tossing them to Adele.

"You're going to need these. Put them on quickly, there isn't much time and you have to get away."

"Where am I going?" Adele kicked off her worthless flats and put the boots on.

"Away. I'm told your friends will be waiting for you. As soon as you're ready, you'll go out the back door, and head north. Follow the road. They'll be waiting about a mile out."

"Who will be waiting? And how will I get there?"

"Like I said," Juliet tossed her a winter coat. "Your friends. I don't know them. And you'll just have to run."

Adele shot her a skeptical glance. "In the snow?"

"No, in the water. Of course in the snow. It's Yukon." Juliet handed her a hat and gloves. "Here. You ready?"

Adele put them on. "Yeah. I guess. I don't think I've ever run a mile before."

Juliet laughed. "Well, you're about to. If you don't get away, Mitch will probably have you killed."

"What about you? What if you get caught?

"You'll have a head start, but I have to tell them you escaped eventually, or they might suspect something. But don't worry, I won't get caught. And even if I did, my boss won't let Mitch hurt me."

Juliet sauntered out of the room, right to the back door, just like the front. "Not to be rude or anything, but hopefully I won't see you again."

"Yeah." Adele felt her chest tighten with fear. "Hey, thank you."

Juliet smiled. "Just following orders. I work for Yukon. I'm just trying to do what's best for my home. We saw what the rebels did to this place, and it wasn't good. Hopefully the monarchy can fix it. Them and the counter-revolutionaries. Now you really better be going." She pulled open the door, letting in a blast of cold air.

"Who are the counter-revolutionaries?" Adele paused in the doorway.

"You'll find out. The road is just up there. North is away from here. Now go!" Juliet gave Adele a little shove out the door, and abruptly closed it behind her and locked it, leaving Adele alone outside with only one choice.

Run.

Before she could think about it, she half-jumped off the porch, and started running. The sun was sinking in the sky, and it would be dark in about ten minutes. The sun had been shining all day, melting the snow enough to create a crust now that it was colder again. It was a lot harder to run through the snow then Adele might have thought, which would only slow her down. Growing up in southern Fennley, she hadn't seen a lot of snow. And she was an actress and a dancer, not an athlete.

But she ran anyway. She had to get out of here.

She found the road easy enough, with the tire tracks through the snow. The snow was a lot more compact here, so it was easier to run on and it didn't show her footsteps too much. Soon, the guest house disappeared from view and the sun sank beyond the horizon, plunging the world into dusk.

By her friends, Adele could only hope Juliet meant Colin, Nat, and whoever they were with.

But Juliet was working for someone. Someone she didn't know who.

She could be lying. She could be working for Mitch. Someone had told him that it was Nat, not Nicole in their room that night, and the only person who might have known aside from the rest of the Selected was Juliet.

Maybe she had been wrong to trust Juliet.

But for now, she was free from Mitch. She just had to trust that someone was waiting to take her away, not kill her.

It had only been five minutes, but Adele had to stop to walk and catch her breath. Her lungs ached from huffing and puffing in the cold air, not that it would have been easy for her if it was warm. She was never much of a runner. Despite the winter gear Juliet had given her, her ears and nose were numb and she was freezing, and her knee throbbed where she had injured it when trying to escape with Nat. Hopefully, her friend would be keeping her promise and be at the other end of this headlong run to freedom.

But the terror, like nothing she had never known, was the worst part. It made her heart pound in her chest, her lungs tighten, and turned her muscles to ice.

Back in the direction she had come from, a loud siren started wailing. The same one that had been going off the first time she had tried to escape.

"Some head start!" Adele cried to no one. She broke into a run again, letting a string of curses fly. This was a lot harder than anything she had thought of when she had read Juliet's note.

_Don't panic. Don't panic. It will only make things worse. _She tried to tell herself. But it was harder to do than say. She stumbled, an icy patch of snow making her lose her footing, and tumbled into the snow. As Adele struggled to her feet, she heard the sound of engines, growing ever louder, and coming back from Mitch's compound.

She took a deep breath, in a hopeless attempt to quell the rising panic, and got back up and kept running. She was being hunted. There was no way to outrun something with an engine. But if she hid, they might find her.

"I am really not cut out for this." Adele muttered to herself. The siren's wailing was fainter, but it was darker, and the engines were louder. If she got off the road, she may never find it again. But if she waited too long, they might find her.

Her lungs were bursting and her legs were rubberized, but the panic of being hunted like pretty took over and she ran down the road, tears freezing on her cheeks. She heard the rev of an engine closer than ever, and turned, seeing the flash of lights on the bend a short way back. They would catch her in a matter of minutes. But the trees here were too sparse. She couldn't possibly to hope to hide undiscovered behind a single stump. Besides, her tracks in the powdery snow off the road would give her away. Her only option was to go down the steep hill on the other side of the road, to what appeared to be a frozen creek. She had to keep going.

_Colin, where are you? _

But when she saw her shadow in front of her and the snow and trees around her were bathed in the golden light of headlights, she knew she was out of time. A glance behind her revealed three large pickup trucks with snow tires—closing in fast.

With a yelp, she scrambled down the side of the hill, over icy rocks and who knew what buried under the snow. Surely the trucks couldn't get down here.

But the men driving them could.

Half falling-half running for her life, Adele crashed at the bottom of the embankment, narrowly avoiding the frozen creek. She jumped up, trying to ignore the pain stabbing up her knee again, and broke into a run. But the ground broke under her, and she on her knees in frigid water as the ice cracked under her weight.

A sob of frustration and terror broke through her resolve. Above her, the trucks stopped, and about ten of the rebel soldiers clambered out, most holding weapons.

"Find her, and bring her back. If she tries to run, wound her and bring her to me. Save the killing for me." Adele heard Mitch's familiar voice, and shuddered.

It was time to hide. The darkness would buy her a moment or two, but she had to hide. She climbed out of the water onto solid ground, and ducked behind the nearest tree. It was a large pine tree, and she laid on her stomach to crawl underneath the long boughs, up to the trunk. By then, her feet were numb, and her teeth were chattering wildly. She curled up as tight as she could, trying to quiet her breathing and make herself as small as possible.

She could hear the soldiers shouting to each other, and heard some of them coming down the bank. Someone cracked the ice, and cursed. Of course they would see her tracks. She had failed.

She couldn't stay there. She had to try to run. A blinding fear made her jerk away from her hiding place.

_If I'm going to get caught, it will not be hiding. _

As fast as Adele could move her legs through the snow, she bolted away.

There were shouts behind her, and she guessed they had seen her. Gasping for air, she ran. By then, she had no idea where she was going. She just ran. The truck engine started up again, back behind her. The soldiers were behind her, shouting to each other, chasing her, and firing their guns.

And one of them was closing in.

She put on a burst of speed, but she wasn't cut out for running, and her legs and lungs were crying for relief.

Underneath the snow, a hidden fallen branch sent her sprawling face first to the ground.

"No!" The cry jerked from her lips.

It was over.

This was all over.

The soldier would take her back to Mitch, and he would kill her. No more Selection, no more exile.

No more Ethan, no more of her friends.

No more Colin.

She had failed.

The soldier grabbed her with both hands on her arm, and half-yanked her to her feet.

"Go on, get out of here!"

_What is this idiot even talking about? _She was so surprised; it was all that came to her.

"What?"

"You have to get away. Just keep running." He gave her a little shove.

He had a hard face, but his green eyes were kind, half hidden by longish sandy blond hair. He was older than some of the guards and Juliet, maybe in his mid-thirties, like Gilly. He had been kinder to them whenever she and the girls got to go outside. She remembered him joining in the snowball fight with them the other day.

_James, his name is James. _

"What are you talking about?" She asked dumbly. "Why are you doing this?"

"Because," He sighed in exasperation. "Juliet told me she snuck you out. We work together, her and me. I'll tell 'em you went the other way. Get back to the road as soon as you can, find your friends, and get out of here."

"James, you found anything?" A voice too close behind them called.

"Looks like she went back towards the house. Must 'a got confused." He called back. He looked back at Adele, not daring to say anything else, and jerked his head in the direction away from them.

"Thanks." She whispered.

After a few more minutes of running, Adele knew she couldn't get much further. She hid in a mess of brambles and thorns until she couldn't hear anything from the soldiers anymore, and the engines had faded. She followed the creek back until she could see the road in the light of the snow lit up by the moon. There was no sign of anyone.

She was careful to stay off the road, in case the trucks came back, looking for her, but walked parallel to it. She couldn't help but shiver, wet from her plunge into the creek, and exposed to the freezing temperatures. If she didn't find her friends soon, she would freeze to death anyway. Surely it had been a mile.

It wasn't long.

She rounded the next bend, and knew she had made it. Right on the road, there stood a group of four people, dressed in civilian clothes, waiting with five horses.

Five well bred, fancy horses, that is, the kind that she had almost certainly seen at the palace, and the kind that Colin had stolen with Nat the day they were carted off to here.

"Who is it?" The voice was familiar, the kind of voice that made her think of days on the beach at Trentworth, and playing hide and seek. Of nights in the town, where no one cared what you wore or how you acted and people just wanted a better life. Of sneaking in corridors, and standing up for what you believed in.

A voice that _she _could believe in.

"Colin Evans, don't you ever make me run a mile to get to you again!" She shouted, her voice breaking halfway through. She started to run again, only this time it wasn't so bad.

He met her in the middle of the moonlight road, and she launched herself at him. He grabbed her, and she pulled her feet off the ground, and they swung around.

"I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry." She cried into his neck.

He set her down, hands on her shoulders. "For what?"

"For what I said, back at the palace. I did love Ethan, I think, for a time. But I love _you_."

He didn't need to answer her, he just gathered her closer in his arms, and kissed her.

"It don't much matter anymore. It only matters that you're here, right by my side."

He hugged her tight, and swung her around again. All the built up tension of the night suddenly caught up with Adele, but she didn't cry, only laughed for the sheer relief of being reunited with Colin.

He finally set her down. "It was only a mile." He grinned goofily.

She swatted his playfully. "It was terrible."

Nat stepped forward, and they hugged. "We were worried you wouldn't make it here." There were too guys that Adele didn't know, both sporting dark hair. One of them, who draped his arm over Nat's shoulder, was skinny, and slightly tall, looking somewhat familiar. The other was shorter and stocky, with a shock of straight black hair, green eyes, and an impish grin.

"Oh, this is Ben and Damien." Nat introduced them. "They're with us."

They both nodded in acknowledgement.

"You might not remember, but I told you and Colin to leave the town outside of Trentworth the night he took you there. The rebels found out where the royals were hiding after they saw you." Ben said. "I used to be one of them, but the king's men arrested me during the Convicting, and Colin let me and Nat out." By the way he and Nat stood close to each other, Adele suspected they were a little more than friends.

The other guy, Damien, shook her hand. "Colin and I grew up together, outside of Trentworth. We're old friends."

"Sounds like I'm in very capable hands. Who's 'us', by the way?" Adele turned to Colin. "And what are you guys doing up here?"

"We're stopping Mitch." Ben explained. "But first we know we need to get you and the rest of the girls away from him."

"So you're the counter-revolutionaries."

"I guess you could call us that." Nat shrugged. "Hopefully the others can get away without getting caught."

"And I almost got caught. I _did _get caught. The soldier helped me get away." Adele explained.

"Could he have been the one who contacted us?" Nat looked at her companions.

"There was a girl who worked in the house named Juliet, and she was the one who let me out, but she told me she was working for someone. I don't think it was either of them." Adele said.

"I guess it's better for us not to know." Damien put in. "And for whoever it is. But Colin, we better get moving. They won't just let her get away."

"He's right."

As the others began mounting their horses, Colin reached for Adele's hands.

"I thought I would never get you out of there." He whispered. "Now that you're back here with me, I can hardly believe it."

"Ethan will never want to see me again." Adele admitted, staring over his shoulder and avoiding his face.

Colin's grip on her hands tightened. "I guess that means that you're mine now." He leaned forward, resting his forehead against hers.

She kissed him. "I could be okay with that."

They stood like that for a moment more.

"Need some time alone?" Damien teased, wheeling his horse back towards the road.

Colin grinned. "If only. Let's get out of here. Elvira should be waiting to take us out of here, but it's a long ride to the helicopter."

"And what's after that?" Adele asked him.

"After that, we stop this revolution—one way or another."

…

**This ended up being way longer than I expected, and it's not my best work…Anyway, I was trying to convey Adele's sense of being disoriented and scared. Hopefully you still enjoyed it, and hopefully the next chapter will be out sooner! I should have been studying for exams this week but nah. **

**Let me know who you would like to hear from next, and what you think about what's happening. In other words, PLEASE REVIEW! **

**-Shades **


	105. I'll Gently Rise and Softly Call

**The Story: Having a new OTP in one of your fandoms is probably one of the most exciting things ever. Having a new season of said fandom is probably up there too, but nothing can compare with the pure joy of seeing two fictional characters fall in love and then confess it to each other in the best way possible #penvenys**

**So, it only took me most of a month to update, many sorries and midterms later. Special shoutout to **Lizcran, XOStarbrightXO, **and **delovlies **for their wonderful review skills! **

**This chapter is a little on the short side, but the last ones have been long and I decided it worked better to end where it does. It picks up towards the end of the last chapter, but sort of during it, just back at the house with everyone else. No more explanation necessary! **

…

"I have just been informed that Adele has escaped."

Katherine stared at the wood planks of the floor, keeping her hands clasped tightly together, doing anything to avoid Mitch's attention.

Each day, it seemed he became more and more cruel. More desperate to make them know he was in charge. More hateful. And every day, he became more and more unpredictable.

They had all been summoned down to the main room, even though it was still early yet for dinner-the remainder of the royal family who was still here, Ethan, Wesley, and the former king and queen, and the rest of the former Selected girls; Gracie, Ebony, and Nicole.

The odd silence of the guards, who looked even more tense and stressed than usual, and the lack of their numbers, as well as the shouting outside earlier immediately told Katherine there was something wrong. Mitch had commanded them to line up, and then had gone quiet as he paced up and down their line, until he told them what he knew.

_At least she got away. _None of them had been told where their friend had been taken, but it was a relief to know that where ever she was, she had gotten away from Mitch.

"Does anyone know where she might have gone?"

No one spoke, just trying to avoid scrutiny. Next to her, Katherine could feel Gracie trembling slightly, and she was just as scared.

"I said, does anyone know where she went? Who helped her?" Mitch's voice was calm and controlled, his chin held high, but his eyes were hard, his fists clenched. It was only a matter of time before he lost that control and did who knew what.

Katherine swallowed a cough, trying not to attract any attention. Living in the constant cold of Yukon in the unheated residence was starting to take its toll on their immune systems. Gracie had gotten sick first, and it wasn't long before Katherine and Nicole were sniffling and coughing too, only Ebony staying unaffected. Wesley seemed sick too, but the girls rarely saw him.

Their room seemed a little sadder, without Adele's blasé remarks and her boisterous spirit and rude remarks about Mitch when no one was around. For the time, she had been holding them all together, trying to get their minds off their bleak future. Hopefully Nat and her friends had gotten her away from here forever.

"No one knows?" Mitch seemed almost sad. But they all knew it was better to keep silent than to admit they knew nothing. He finally paused, picking his first target.

"What about you, Wesley? Are the kind of boy who would help a girl escape?"

The former prince stiffened, and Katherine could see his hands ball up into fists. He and Mitch didn't have the best history, after challenging Mitch when he announced that Prince Andrew and Princess Christine were being taken elsewhere, and calling him the cause of the war.

Mitch, apparently, hadn't forgotten.

"Well, answer me!" He demanded, his tone darkening. Wesley stared hard at the ground, his shoulders and neck tensed.

In a very small voice, he answered.

"No. No, I don't know anything."

There had been a day when Katherine remembered Wesley as a mischievous and joking boy, the youngest prince with no responsibility. His eyes always gleamed with laughter, and the things he would say at dinner in the dining room were so ridiculous, his jokes timed perfectly, so much so that the girls couldn't help but laugh, back where there were still at least twenty of them. He would light up around Lissa and never failed to charm any woman, young or old.

It was a lifetime ago.

That boy was a shell of himself. He was scared, sick, and Katherine couldn't remember the last time she'd seen him smile, much less laugh or make a joke.

"You don't know anything about Adele leaving us?" Mitch taunted.

Wesley shook his head. "I wasn't there."

Mitch drew a breath, but hesitated. He had Wesley right where he wanted. "You weren't _where_, exactly?"

"I-I was here. I don't even know where you took her after-" Wesley stuttered, his voice growing even softer.

Mitch let out a bark of laughter, though it wasn't funny to any of them. Katherine cringed.

Three soldiers entered, all carrying guns, with muddy snow covered boots and coats.

"Sir, there's no sign of her-" One of them began, and Mitch hurried over to converse with them quietly.

For a moment, they were free to relax a little. Katherine saw Wesley's shoulders drop in relief, and he leaned slightly into Ethan, his chin wobbling. Ethan briefly wrapped his arm around his little brother's shoulders, and caught Katherine watching them. He gave her a nod, and she managed a smile.

If he could be strong, she could be too.

"You okay?" She whispered to Gracie.

The blonde nodded. "Just scared."

"Me too."

"At least Adele got away." Nicole whispered from next to Gracie.

There wasn't time to say more, as Mitch dismissed his men, and turned back around.

He was absolutely fuming. As far as she knew, that was good for Adele.

Not so much for them.

"My men tell me that someone had to have let her out. And someone helped her get away. Someone here has to know something." He was serious now, not just taunting them and trying to question them. "If you know anything, tell me know. It won't be pleasant if I find out you are hiding something. If you know who it was, and you're telling the truth, you'll have your freedom."

At his last statement, his eyes rested on the Selected girls. Katherine looked up just long enough to make eye contact, and immediately knew it was a mistake.

"Katherine?"

Her name hung in the air, and as best as she could describe it, it felt like being called on by a teacher when you didn't know the answer. Only much worse.

"Yes, sir?" She spoke up meekly.

"Do you have any information you would like to share?"

"No, sir." She said quickly.

"_Sir_? Do you not remember that I have taken power of this entire country?" He advanced toward her, and she was terrified.

At her side, a small voice piped up. "Then why are you here tormenting us instead of ruling the country back at the palace?"

Gracie's voice cut through the silence, quiet as it was, but the strongest she had ever sounded. Angry, miserable, and longing for what might have been, she had just surprised them all and stood up to the man who had dismantled their country.

Mitch didn't say anything, and Katherine could tell Gracie was losing her courage. Then, slowly, he took a step towards her. The younger girl's breath hitched, and she took a step back.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing. I'm sorry. I didn't mean it." Gracie pleaded, imminent crying in her voice.

"What did you say?" Mitch demanded again, his voice more insistent, crueler. Angry.

Gracie only let out a muffled whimper, her courage deserting her. Katherine watched as her friend's eyes filled with tears, her chin trembling as she tried to regain composure.

An unspeakable rage built in her heart, the kind that she had never known. Wesley and Gracie were the youngest of them all, and yet Mitch persisted to bully and threaten them. Wesley was just a boy, and Gracie just a girl. They were all just girls who happened to have their names picked, and he did this to them.

He had torn the country apart, plunging her fellow citizens into chaos and confusion, that could only lead to death and destruction. He had usurped the throne, torn at least one family apart, and doubtless countless more. Because of him, beautiful, full of life Sirena was dead and in the ground. She had watched innocent people get killed when he attacked the palace during the Convicting. And he had nearly taken Ethan from her.

She spoke evenly, the girl watching on the inside still cowering behind her memories hardly believing what she said, the fire in her eyes, and the strength in her voice.

"Don't you touch her."

Mitch reeled around, and for a moment, the incredulity and shock she saw in his eyes was all worth it. The room was dead quiet, only the sound of Mitch's heavy breaths.

Then he snapped.

"You can't tell me what to do!" He yelled, stabbing his finger centimeters away from his voice. The words were pathetic, the cry of someone who had nothing and had gone to extreme. She remembered he had lost his father when the mob stormed the palace during the taping of the Report. He was now hell-bent on revenge for it.

He was just a kid—just like them.

He slammed his fist into her face, once, twice. Then he grabbed her arm and twisted it painfully behind her back. Hot blood leaked out of her nose, and she saw stars. He dragged over to stand in front of Ethan, who only met her eyes in shock, unsure of what to do.

Then he lunged at Mitch, a snarl on his face and the rage that she had just experienced glinting in his eyes.

A flurry of yelling and movement, and then two of Mitch's soldiers held Ethan back by his arms, but he was still struggling wildly. He shoved her down to the ground.

"Kate!" She heard Ethan shout.

"This is what happens!" He yelled. "She questions my authority and you get to watch." He yanked her up by her hair, and hit her in the face again. "It could have been anyone, and yet you get to be the prince."

Mitch was almost deranged, his eyes bloodshot, breathing so rapidly she thought he might pass out. His hands shook, and they were clenched up so tight, it seemed painful.

He rained blows on her face and stomach and arms, and she was unable to get away, his grip to strong.

The girl on the inside shook her head sadly and told Katherine this would happen. But she had stood up to this monster, and better her than Gracie.

Ethan was yelling, several of the girls were crying, even the king was now yelling at Mitch to stop. Finally, the blows stopped.

"Find Adele before the sun comes up!" Mitch screamed. The soldiers who remained in the room scrambled out the door, stunned looks on their faces. A few of them, the ones she recognized from their walks outside, lingered for a moment, glancing at her. Mitch pushed her down to the ground, and stalked out the room, slamming the door, and leaving them alone.

Gracie was first, sobbing, but she managed to speak through her tears.

"Oh Katherine, I'm so sorry." She crumpled to her knees next to Katherine, and hugged her. "I didn't mean for him to-"

Katherine hugged her back. "It's okay. It's not your fault." She wanted to cry now too.

_I just have to hold myself together for her. I have to be strong. _It was hard. Everything hurt. She touched her lip and winced, finding it split open. Her nose throbbed, and she was surprised it wasn't gushing blood.

"Thank you. You stood up against him." Gracie hugged her tighter.

Katherine rested her cheek on top of Gracie's blonde head. Maybe this was how her sister felt. She had always been the younger sister, and then the only sister, but for the first time in her life, she was the older sister.

"I didn't want you to get hurt." She whispered. _Bestrongbestrongbestrong. _

Nicole was tear-y eyed as she sat down next to them. "I thought he might kill you." She squeezed Katherine's hand. "I could have never said what you did."

She pulled Katherine into a hug and the three girls sat like that for a moment, seeking comfort from each other's presence. Ebony stood by herself, by the window, arms wrapped tightly around herself, not joining them.

Over Gracie's shoulder, Katherine saw a scene that broke her heart.

Wesley was crying, or rather, trying very hard not to. He bit his lip and rubbed his eyes, but could not stop his crumpling face, or running nose. Queen Francesca—or at least the former one—went to him, and hugged him tightly. He hid his face against his mother, and she saw his shoulders shaking as he cried.

The king had sat down in one of the chairs, head in his hands. Hopeless.

Ethan met her eyes, a tortured look on his face. She sensed he wanted to go to her, but didn't want to interrupt her time with the other girls.

_I'm sorry. _He mouthed.

She managed a smile, wanting nothing more than to burst into tears and cry and cry and cry.

A few minutes later, Gilly and Juliet entered, quieter than ever.

"You can return to your rooms, if you would like, or you may stay here." Gilly said. "But Mitch has ordered us to not serve dinner." She avoided looking at them, keeping her eyes on the floor.

"He did leave, for now." Juliet piped up. She went to Katherine, and knelt by her side. "Are you okay?"

"I think so."

"It isn't the first time he's gone off like that." Juliet touched her own cheek, where Katherine remembered seeing many a bruise. On both of them, now that she thought about it.

"He's never been that bad before." Juliet looked like she was going to say more, but didn't.

After checking to make sure nothing was broken or she was seriously injured, both of the girls left them alone. Katherine was acutely aware of the pain on her body, knowing they would be evident in angry, dark bruises tomorrow. The king and queen and Wesley left the room, and Ebony followed. Gracie and Nicole exchanged a glance, and Nicole stood up to go. Reluctantly, Gracie did too, sensing Ethan wanted to go to Katherine.

"We'll watch the door." Nicole said quietly, and pulled Gracie away with her, making Katherine smile. They made themselves scare just outside the room.

Ethan sank down next to her on the floor, taking both of her hands. Katherine couldn't bring herself to look at him. She swallowed hard.

_Bestrongbestrongbestrong. _

Ethan let go of her hands, and gently traced his fingers over her cheeks, her hair, over her collarbone, down to her shoulders.

"Oh, Kate," He murmured, and she met his eyes—his sad, full of despair eyes, searching hers. "What did they do to you?"

It started off small, a tear escaped her eye, clenched shut. Her lips trembled in a vain attempt to stop the tightening creeping up in her throat, and her split lip stung with the action. She dug her nails into her palm, but couldn't stop the shuddering sob that burst the dam.

She'd held it together for too long. She couldn't always be strong. It was just too much, too hard. You can't just start doing something and automatically be good at it. You had to break sometimes.

The pieces of her puzzle broke apart as she cried. Ethan pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her to try to hold her together.

"I c-can't do this," She cried into his shoulder. "I'm not strong enough."

Ethan pressed her closer, pressing one hand against the back of her head. He let her cry, even though it hurt to hear her pain. When her sobbing subsided into sniffling, and she leaned back out of his embrace.

"I-" She began,

"Kate," He cut her off. "You're one of the strongest people I know."

And then he was kissing her, gathering her in his arms, kissing away to pain and the tears. She melted into his arms, clinging to him like a lifeline.

He was holding her so tightly, that for a moment, she could feel all of her broken pieces fitting back together again.

…

**'Aight, well that's about it! I know some people don't like Katherine much, but I personally love her. I know she may come off as a damsel in distress in this chapter, but hopefully you got that she's a whole lot stronger than that, but she's also not perfect and like we all do, she had a moment of weakness. (I SOUND SO WEIRDLY LIKE A TEACHER OR FILM CRITIS I THNK I SHOULD DELETE THAT)**

**Anyway, don't forget to review! It's okay, I never know what to write for my own reviews either, and some of you may know it's just a lot of capital letters and freaking out, but I don't care what you say in your review, just tell me your thoughts! I miss some of you guys! **

**-Shades (being desperate and needy) **


	106. Turning Away

**The Story: Forgetting something really important at the end of last chapter and having to write an entire other scene to compensate…**

**JUST NOTICED I AM PAST 900 reviews at 901! Thanks to those loyal few **lizcran, delovlies, XOStarbrightXO **and marvelous new reviewers for their over the top kind words, thank you two so much-**RedQueen517 **and **Baymax**! **

**Anyway, picks up right after the last one, with an added scene because I'm an idiot and forgot to write it where it made sense. **

**Note. This chapter makes mention of General Connelly, if case you don't remember, was the leader of the army and now leads the fight against Mitch's rebellion in the southern provinces. **

…

It was all his fault.

And for Ethan, the guilt was eating him alive.

He stayed in the common room long after the sun set and the only light outside was the illumination of the snow. Long after everyone left, after he held Katherine in his arms as she wept for the pain Mitch had inflicted on her, after he had kissed her, and then she had fallen asleep in his arms, and after Nicole and Gracie came to fetch her. The room still echoed with Mitch's cruel voice, and the horrors he had put them all through for Adele's escape.

And Ethan could only imagine what was to come.

He would not let them come to pass. He and Wesley had been making plans. They would get out.

Somehow.

The door opened, and Ethan couldn't help but tense up. He stood quickly, better to face whoever it was on his feet than vulnerable on the ground.

He relaxed slightly to see it was only a rebel soldier, and one without even a full uniform at that. He was young, around Ethan's own age, with mousy brown hair, though not someone Ethan recognized. _They're all still out with Mitch, hunting Adele. _

For her own sake, he was glad she had gotten away. To someone else's arms, to someone else's heart. He would forgive her, but the pain still remained for the secret she had hidden from him.

"I'm sorry, sir, but you're not supposed to be in here after ten." The soldier said, shifting his feet.

For a moment, Ethan didn't realize why his words sounded so strange.

_Sir. He called you sir. _

The kid refused to meet his eyes for more than a second, but there was something different about him. The other soldiers usually treated him with some disdain, even hatred, or at least mockery. This soldier seemed frightened of him, and almost, in a way, respectful.

"Right. Sorry." Ethan moved past him, out into the hall, and went upstairs to his room, still confused. Something had changed. There was far less people around the house and outside than usual, with Adele's escape, probably, but there was something else.

Ethan opened the door to his room, when he heard the door next down the hall open too. Wesley stepped out, his arms wrapped around himself, but still shivering.

It was always cold in here.

His little brother blinked eyes, his face still puffy from crying after Mitch had left.

"I was waiting to see if you would come back." He said softly.

Ethan smiled humorlessly. "Where would I go?"

"Maybe you got out and left the rest of us here," Wesley closed his door behind him, stepping out in the hallway.

"You should stay in your room. You might get in trouble," Ethan reminded him. Wesley shrugged, and his neck tensed.

"I'm not taking orders from them the rest of my life."

Good. At least there was still a little defiance left in his brother. They hadn't broken him yet.

"We…" Ethan lowered his voice. "won't be here the rest of our life."

Wesley smiled a tiny bit, and nodded.

Without a word, he followed Ethan into his room, closing the door behind them, but hovering nearby.

"It's all my fault," Ethan muttered. Defeated, he held his head in his hands

"How is it your fault?"

"If Mitch hadn't of captured me, he couldn't use me as a bargaining piece, and we would still be at home."

"It's not your fault you were captured." Wesley reminded him.

"It has to be. I had to have told someone." Ethan shook his head. "The only people who knew I was there besides our family and the ladies were my guards and two aids, one who was dead when they got me, and the other they killed later. They killed many of the guards, too, and I haven't seen any of them since anywhere. Someone knew I was there, and someone told them. And look where this lead us."

"I thought you blamed Dad for all this,"

"It's my fault the ladies are here. They didn't do anything wrong."

"We're going to escape, remember?"

He spoke so easily, Ethan almost believed they could do it.

"But when Nat was here, Mitch knew it too. Somehow, he knew it."

"Ethan, we have to try," Wesley half-pleaded. "Mitch is ruining our country. He's destroying it."

"It has to be soon. Every day, something worse and worse happens."

"How soon?"

"I don't know, a week? We still aren't ready. But we can't tell the girls until it's absolutely necessary. It's safer if they just don't know about it," Ethan said. "But it's getting late. You should go back before someone comes."

"I guess you're right."

Impulsively, Wesley surprised Ethan by pulling him into a hug, thumping him on the back.

"Good night."

It was strange. All his life, Andrew and Wesley had always been closer and Ethan had always avoided them. Now things had changed. Andrew was gone and he and Wesley were working together to save their family.

"Good night." Ethan replied. Wesley opened the door, and stopped in his tracks.

A girl jumped back from where she had been standing by the door. Wild blonde hair, blue eyes…in the dark, it took him a second to recognize Juliet, the girl who worked here.

She smiled wryly, and did something entirely unexpected, and curtsied.

"Your Highness, Mitch and most of his men are out hunting for Adele. If you're planning on escaping, my employer says you better do it tonight. We're ready."

…

No one was willing to go to sleep yet, despite how late it was. The last four girls of the Selection were scattered about their room, waiting for sleep or perhaps something else, just as it was about to.

The door was unlocked, and banged open, startling them all.

But it was who entered who startled them the most.

"It's time. We're getting out."

Ethan.

His eyes were lit up, but his movements seemed jerky and nervous.

It was so eerily similar to when Nat had proclaimed the same thing, only to end it failure, that they all held doubts.

"What about Mitch?" Gracie asked.

"He's gone, his men our gone. Because Adele got away, she's distracting them long enough for us to get away. There's someone who's waiting to help us."

"Who?" Ebony spoke, her voice loud and sharp.

"I don't know. But Juliet does, she works for them. Several of the others do as well."

None of them said anything, and for a moment he was scared they wouldn't come with him.

He looked at Katherine, her poor face battered and several bruises coming to light after a few hours. But she was full of hope this time, not doubt. She jumped up and opened the dresser to grab a coat.

No one said anything, but the rest of the girls suddenly snapped into action, and followed suit, throwing on whatever they had to keep warm.

It was actually happening. In a matter of minutes, they were out of the room, into the hall, where they met Wesley with his parents, the king and queen, all dressed as best as they could for escaping.

"She said to go downstairs," Ethan told them, already leading the way. They were getting out. They were going to be free.

Juliet met them in the entry hall, along with Gilly and James, the guard who had always been kind, as well as the guard that knew kid that had called Ethan "sir" earlier.

"There are a lot of you, aren't there." Juliet wrinkled her brow. "We were supposed to get you out in pairs, but at least this saves anyone from having to bear Mitch's wrath." She glanced at Katherine. "And we had a chance. Now let's go."

"Wait, how do we know if we can trust you?" Ebony stepped forward, eyes flashing dangerously. "Who are you working for?"

"I am not at liberties to reveal that, Lady Ebony. But we really should be going. The sooner we're out of here, the better."

"What, so you can just kill us? At least Mitch is letting us live. For all we know, you'll take us outside and shoot us, and there's no one around to stop you." Ebony cried.

Juliet's voice broke out louder. "We're trying to help you. If you don't want to come, you don't have to. But I'm going to get Illea's royal family away from Mitch before he does something worse." She turned to the two soldiers. "Emmet, James, get the truck."

The two men left out the front door without a word, and Gilly disappeared momentarily, before bringing back a box full of actual winter coats and things.

"Put these on." The older woman said. "It's going to be a long cold night."

As they did as they were told, they heard the sound of a vehicle outside. For an escape attempt, it seemed awfully conspicuous, but there was no one around. Ebony grumbled under her breath, keeping her arms tucked under her coat and not in the sleeves.

Outside, the vehicle stopped, and the door slammed. From the front door burst the young soldier, Emmet.

"She's here. Says she's leaving too." He told Juliet. "But we have to go now."

"What about us?" Gilly interrupted. "If Mitch comes back and finds them gone, he'll kill _us._"

"There isn't room for you two. Me neither. Only James is driving, we gotta find another way." Emmet said.

"Well, they're more important than us." Juliet sighed. She turned to the rest of them and Ethan realized how hard it must be for her. She had risked basically death to save them and now had no way to leave either, except on foot. She curtsied. "If this works, remember Yukon." She looked straight at the king. "Your Majesty."

King Jackson nodded at her. "Thank you."

Juliet smiled, and opened the front door, revealing one of the same delivery trucks that they had arrived in.

And they just walked out the front door.

James got out of the driver's seat, and went around to the back to open the hatch. The other passenger door slammed shut, and there was the click of heeled shoes on the icy gravel.

Mackenzie Parker walked around the front of the truck.

Dressed in heeled leather boots, tight black jeans, and a fur trimmed leather jacket, she looked a little different than she had during her time at the palace, though the reddish blonde hair was still the same, as was the perfect figure and makeup.

Except this time, she actually smiled, a real smile, and curtsied.

"Your Majesties." She murmured, nodding to the king and queen. "I apologize for my behavior that night at dinner. You must know I had to play the part."

Both of the former monarchs looked so shocked, neither of them said anything.

Mackenzie continued. "Ethan," She bowed her head in his direction.

His face turned the darkest shade of red possible, before he realized she wasn't here to antagonize the other girls, take of her clothes in his room, or flirt with Mitch.

She was the one responsible for their escape.

She was who Juliet and the others were working for.

Slowly, the others realized the same thing, and similar expressions washed over their features.

"You probably think I have no right to be here, after leaving the palace like I did," She continued. "But I had to make a quick departure. General Connelly had contacted me because of the unrest with Yukon, and I was supposed to fly up here to get close to Mitch, back when his father was still here."

"Well, you certainly did make quite the exit." Gracie muttered.

"So were you really just mean to us or were you just trying to do something?" Nicole looked extremely confused. This girl standing before them did not seem like the Mackenzie she knew at all.

"Regretfully, I was at the palace to further my own self. General Connelly only contacted me at the end, and I agreed to work for him only because of the money. Besides, I knew Ethan would never pick me at that point." She glanced at him. "Which was a huge mistake, but whatever." She flipped her hair. "You're lucky Adele's friends helped her escape. I've been trying to work with them, but Colin had his own ideas. Still, she drew out everyone making sure you stayed here. You just had to walk out the front door."

"It's not that easy." Ebony stepped forward.

"Lucky for you, it is." Mackenzie told her. "But we have to leave soon. Everyone, get in the truck." She glanced towards the three others, Juliet, Gilly, and Emmet, in the threshold of the house, and nodded to them.

"I'm afraid that's not going to happen." Ebony's voice rang out like a shot, a pitch lower than normal.

"What are you talking about, Ebony?" Katherine touched her arm. "They're helping us."

"Oh, I'm sure they are. And I'm sure it might have worked. But I can't allow that to happen."

From within her coat, she pulled a small black device, held it to her lips, and spoke into it.

"Mitch, they're leaving." She smiled slightly, her eyes hard and dark.

Then Ebony pulled out a pistol, cocked it, and fired it into Mackenzie's heart.

For a moment, no one moved, except Mackenzie, her mouth hanging open as she touched her chest, bringing back fingertips scarlet with blood. She coughed lightly, blood beading on her lips. She began to gasp frantically, her lips trying to form words, as she coughed on blood, her hands slick with it as she pressed them over her chest. She staggered back a step, her ridiculous shoe getting stuck and then she fell backwards.

Everyone broke from their stupor. Ebony lowered her gun, making no move to shoot anyone else. Gracie, Katherine, and the queen screamed. Ethan sunk to his knees by the fallen girl's side, as she died.

Her eyes found his and then drifted away in the pain. Gasping, her body lurched. Blood was everywhere.

For a brief time, Mackenzie had gone from the slutty girl who prowled at him around the Selection, to the paramour of the man who was destroying their country, to the woman who was responsible for their escape, and now was dying. Ebony had gone from the brave, hard girl Ethan might have been able to love, to killing their last hope at escape, betraying them all.

Ebony walked over and stood next to him. He couldn't look at her.

She chuckled dryly, nudging her toe at Mackenzie's body.

"W-why?" Mackenzie choked out.

Ebony smirked, an action Ethan realized that Mitch tended to do almost as much as she did.

"Rebellion is the only thing that keeps me alive. And you were in my way."

He watched the life leave Mackenzie's eyes, even if she wasn't dead yet. She closed them tight, her face laced with pain. Blood trickled down her chin, and Ethan couldn't bring himself to wipe it away. Her mutilated chest went still, and she breathed her last.

All around him, cars were pulling up to the house, spraying gravel as they braked, and hordes of rebel soldiers climbed out, armed and ready, but Ethan hardly noticed the return of the rebels.

It was too easy. It had all been too easy.

"Ah. I thought there was something off about that girl."

Mitch.

Ethan wanted to grab him and throttle him and watch the life leave _his_ eyes. But he stayed where he was.

"You didn't really think it would work, did you?"

Ethan looked up at Ebony's voice. She stood there calmly, next to Mitch, leaning into him, his arm draped oh so casually around her shoulders.

He took a deep breath to calm himself. "What have you done?" he asked her. She only smirked.

"Come on, Ethan. You didn't really think that you could have gotten away. This whole time I've been one step ahead of you."

Mitch brushed a strand of Ebony's dark hair out of her eyes. "Did you ever tell him that we used to know each other?"

"I must have forgotten to mention it," She said, her eyes a lit with a humor known only to them.

They kissed, and Ethan let go of everything he had felt for Ebony and replaced it all with burning hatred. She was a traitor.

"It was you."

"Oh, which time?" She smiled, sickeningly sweet. "When no one was supposed to know where you had gone, and Mitch still found you? That was me, you shouldn't have told anyway. And then when Nat tried to get us out and Mitch knew she was in our room. That was me. Oh, and when the rebels got inside during the Convicting."

It all made sense, her crying the night he had given the jewelry. Ebony Winters didn't cry unless she had a reason. _At least for a while she felt sorry about it._

He realized that he had been the one to end this. It was all his fault. He had told Ebony about the escape plan. And she had told Mitch.

Because of him, he had another death on his hands.

He looked down at Mackenzie, her blue eyes staring sightlessly at him.

It was all his fault.

Around him, Mitch's soldiers were moving into position. They had knocked James and Emmet to the ground, holding guns to their head. Juliet and Gilly were shoved against the wall, traitors to the rebellion. His parents and Wesley were contained, as were the three remaining girls.

He could only wonder what Mitch was going to do now.

…

**LOTS OF PLOT TWISTS YAY **

**Reviews are nice, once or twice, but they're awesome all the time!**

**-Shades **


	107. The Rising of the Moon

**The Story: Spending sick days writing in bed is the only way to spend sick days. **

**So, back and this time it doesn't take me a month to update! For the few who still review, thank you so much, it means so much! Shout out to **delovlies, XOStarbrightXO, **and **Lizcran**! Also thanks to **Nameless **and guest **mcb**! **

**This chapter is pretty intense, with POVs from the twins, and it's very much plot driven. If you've read this far, the end of this chapter will probably be okay, but some reader discretion is advised. **

**Note. For any mentions of the provinces, I now use the new map that came out. It hadn't come out when I started this story, but it's based on that one now. **

…

"What's wrong?"

Nat looked up at the sound of Adele's voice as Colin re-entered the helicopter. Elvira had landed it, but there wasn't much fuel left, so they were hunkering down in the wilderness to the south to wait for news. They had their horses, and enough fuel to get home, and that was it. Luckily, no one lived in this thick of forest, and the helicopter offered decent enough shelter. There was her and Ben and Colin, and the newly rescued Adele, as well as Elvira, Damian, Jack, David, and Michelle.

"I just heard from Connelly. There's news," Colin looked rather shocked as he set his radio down.

"Good or bad?" Ben asked, reaching for her hand.

"Both," He looked at Adele and Nat. "Does the name Mackenzie Parker mean anything to you?"

Adele raised her eyebrows. "She was in the Selection. Until she tried to have sex with Ethan and they kicked her out."

"Why?" Nat was confused. What did Mackenzie have to do with anything?

"She was the informer Connelly planted. She was the spy, and she had two girls working for her, and apparently there were some soldiers as well."

"That's who Juliet was working for." Adele muttered. "So it's because of her that I'm here?"

"It would be, except she's dead. Apparently Ebony Winters was also a spy, but not for us, for Mitch. The rest of them tried to escape while they were hunting Adele, and Ebony shot Mackenzie, and Mitch arrested four of her employees." Colin looked down, holding his hat in his hands. "They're probably going to be killed."

Nat watched Adele stand, and hug Colin. "You can't save the whole world. Only your corner." She heard her say to him.

"What about my family? Did you hear about them?" Michelle spoke up from where she was sitting.

Colin shrugged. "Connelly only said no one is at the house anymore. He has information that they might have gone further south. He gave me the coordinates."

"Will they kill them too?" Nat couldn't help but ask. Nicole was still there.

Colin shrugged again, the fate of many resting heavy on his shoulders. "I don't know."

"So what's the good news?" Damian tried to sound hopeful, but after all they had heard, Nat knew it was hard.

"The good news is from home. Connelly's men have broken the lines. Fighting is still heavy on the west coast, but they retook the palace and Angeles City. They regained Clermont, Carolina, Midston, Tammins, and Fennley. Mitch's men are losing their fire for the cause. No one has seen the royal family, and there's a lot of rumors down there that the Selected girls and the princesses have been killed, and people are mad about that."

"You mean; we're winning?" Elvira's voice suddenly sounded hopeful.

"We're not losing." A ghost of a smile traced across Colin's face.

"So what about us? What are we doing?" Ben asked.

"That's just it. Connelly told me what to do, but he doesn't know how we can pull it off. That's up to us."

"What is it?" Jack said.

"We have to rescues the royals—before Mitch kills them."

…

33 had gone before them.

From the eleven who had left the day of the interviews, the girls who had left one by one, and then all seven at once after the attack on the masquerade. Then to Trentworth, and days filled with happiness and sunshine and the beach, and then to the Elite. Ebony had joined them, and Mackenzie had been sent home in disgrace. Mackenzie, of all people, did that because she had been offered a job as a spy, and she would end up rescuing them—and failing. Then Mitch's father had been killed in the first riot, and Ethan had sent Michaela and Lissa home. A flurry of drama at the palace between the wedding dresses and the philanthropy projects, and then the Convicting. Sirena had died, and Nat arrested. The remaining five had been sent to exile in Yukon, Adele had escaped, and now Ebony was a traitor, and had been working for Mitch most of this time.

And somehow, Nicole had never imagined she would be in the last three.

But she never imagined that the final three would end up here, wherever here was.

"You know what always happens to the monarchy when there's a rebellion?" She whispered into the shadows.

Katherine looked up, her poor face bruised and pale, and hugged her blanket tighter around her shoulders as she shivered. "What?"

"They get executed," Nicole let the words fall flat.

"Where does that leave us?" Gracie asked, her face tear stained.

"I have no idea."

Since Ebony had called Mitch and shot Mackenzie, his soldiers had stormed their stupid little escape attempt, handcuffed and blindfolded them, stuffed them into a vehicle and driven a few hours, where they had ended up here.

Now, the little house that they had first been exiled to seemed almost like home in comparison. They were basically in a cell, freezing and dark, with no windows or furniture. The floor was cement, the walls were made of moldy drywall, with some dangling electrical wires that none of them dared to touch, even to make a little light or heat. Their only light came from under the door, and only during the day. There were a few blankets, and they had the coats Gilly had given them for their escape, but it was still cold. There had been nothing to eat, either.

The worst thing that there was no news. The last they had seen of the royal family was similar to them—handcuffs, blindfolds. As for the two soldiers, James and Emmet, and two maids, Juliet and Gilly, that had helped them, they had no idea. For all Nicole knew, Adele had been recaptured and killed, as well as the rest of the conspirators and former royals. Or maybe Mitch and his men had been overthrown by Nat and whoever had rescued Adele, and General Connelly and his soldiers for killing his spy and no one knew they were down here and they would die here.

Ballet seemed like a lifetime ago. It was ridiculous, after all that had happened. So ridiculous, that when Nicole remembered it, she laughed, and then started crying.

"What's wrong?" Gracie was crying too, as she had been since they had been dumped here.

"This wasn't supposed to happen."

It seemed so incredibly stupid, that the worst of her problems used to be figuring out how to become a principal dancer, whether her technique was right, or how to climb castes. And then how she realized that wasn't what she wanted anymore, because she could never catch up. And how she wanted to love Ethan but she just couldn't let herself fall.

Now two of the 36 girls had died, the country was in ruins, they were in the hands of a madman, and locked away probably awaiting execution.

"None of it was," Gracie smiled weakly. "I had it so perfect in my head. It all seems so silly now."

"I was going to be a ballerina," Nicole scoffed.

"I was going to marry Ethan and become a princess," Gracie said.

Katherine shook her head. "I didn't know what I was doing, but I never thought it would end like this."

"I used to hate Mackenzie. But she died trying to get us out. And now I can't stop crying," Gracie said.

"I used to think that Ebony was becoming one of us," Katherine admitted. "But it was her who told Mitch where Ethan was, and that Nat was here."

"It's funny how things end up."

A violent banging on the door terrorized them all, and they all scrambled to their feet. The door was thrown open, revealing three rebel soldiers, dressed in scrappy, dirty clothing, leering at the three of them through unshaven faces.

"The king requests your presences," One of them said, and the others laughed.

Katherine, Gracie, and Nicole shared glances, but there was nothing they could say or do.

"But first, we'll be taking those coats. It's a formal event." The youngest of them said, and his cronies laughed harder. Nicole gritted her teeth. It was already so cold, and they weren't dressed for Yukon, they were dressed for the palace.

The girls handed over their coats, shivering in their gowns. The soldiers blindfolded and handcuffed them, and led them down the hall, making unrepeatable jokes, so that Nicole was glad they couldn't see her face and she didn't have to respond. It was only a short walk until they went through a door and they were outside, the cold wind blowing relentlessly.

The soldiers pulled off their blindfolds, but left the handcuffs on. They stood in front of what appeared to be an old warehouse. And despite the situation, the view was staggeringly beautiful. Harsh rocks ended in an abrupt coastline about a quarter mile away, and even from there, Nicole could hear the crash of waves against the rocks, though it was too high up to see the ocean, and the craggy coast was dotted with scrubby pines. It seemed warmer here than at the house, and there was no snow, probably because of the close proximity to the ocean. A heavy fog hung over the plateau, shrouding it in mist. They must be further south, Nicole guessed.

In front of the warehouse was a cluster of rebel soldiers. Most of them were not uniformed, but they all had weapons. She saw men and women, but most of them were somewhere between 20 and 30. It was easy to tell who wasn't one of them.

The royals stood in a line, facing the warehouse, dressed in their clothing more suited for a ballroom than a warehouse somewhere in Yukon. They too had random sweaters and things using to keep warm. Queen Francesca still held her head high, her auburn hair a tangled mess, her gown wrinkled and covered by a dirty blanket. On either side of her stood Ethan and Wesley, both with their hands stuffed in their pockets, huddled under Illean army jackets, in almost a mockery. Andrew and Christine were a welcome sight, after not seeing them for several weeks after Mitch had taken them away. Wherever they had been, they were here now, Christine huddled close to her husband, holding her arms around herself. Nicole wondered if Mitch had found out about her pregnancy. King Jackson was not there.

The three soldiers marched them up to stand next to the royals, and Nicole tried to ignore the catcalls at them. Nothing happened for several minutes, until one of the largest doors of the warehouse, printed with a faded 2, slid open, revealing Mitch, and by his side, Ebony.

She had traded one of her gowns for skinny jeans and a tight fitting brown leather jacket, a pistol strapped to her thigh. She didn't even look at her former companions, only smirked at Mitch.

They were followed by seven men holding massive guns, wearing what appeared to be the rebel's uniform, in stark black. Mitch raised his hand in a fist, and from the side door that Gracie, Nicole, and Katherine had been taken out of came even more soldiers, looking more official than most of the ones clustered around. Four of them were escorting prisoners, and it wasn't hard to guess who they were.

The young soldier, Emmet, was first, followed by the kind guard, James, then Gilly, and lastly, Juliet. All of them looked terrible, the men had been beaten savagely, and the women hadn't been spared much. They didn't have coats or anything, just shirts and pants, not even shoes. They were lined up by the wall of the warehouse, and the seven soldiers began checking their guns.

It was only painfully obvious they were to be executed.

Mitch stepped forward, in front of the crowd. "These four are traitors to the rebellion,"

he spoke calmly, as he usually did. The rebels jeered and yelled, and he waited for them to be quiet.

"They worked for me in the north, and I thought I could trust them. But they turned their backs on our cause. They support the monarchy and tried to help them escape." He smirked, in that way of his. "They failed. And for their betrayal to us, they will die."

The yelling intensified, and Nicole wanted to cry. Maybe the monarchy wasn't perfect, but this was far from the right thing. Mitch was a mad man; he was on his way to becoming a dictator.

Four people were going to die, right in front of her, because they had been trying to help them.

And there was nothing she could do.

The mist was beginning to turn into a drizzle, as Mitch turned, facing the four prisoners. "At such a time of peril, while we seek to overturn this country for the better, you were responsible for a treacherous betrayal in the heart of our new empire, aiding our enemy, and you could have done away with all we have sought to do. I therefore have no hesitation in sentencing all of you-Emmet Kelly, James Keegan, Gilly Keegan, and Juliet Ennys—to death by firing squad. May God forgive you, for your new king and your new country never will."

He nodded to the soldiers escorting the prisoners, and they were dragged into position. For a brief moment, Gilly struggled her way free with a cry, and flew into James's arms. Nicole could only imagine their last words to one another.

Juliet fought hard against her captors, and began to yell.

"Your revolution will fail! The resistance is gaining strength! They are coming!" She cried, pulling away from the soldiers.

For a moment, Nicole was worried they would shoot her before, but they didn't. "Our hope is that others will rise to take our places! We are ready to die, and we shall die proudly!"

She could have maybe run away, or tried to, but she stood solidly, facing them. "You must not grieve for us. We have preserved this country's honor, and our own. People will say hard things of them now, but the monarchy will rise again, and take its place at the helm of our country again!"

Then the soldiers regained their hold on her, and they shut her up with a slap to the face, but she didn't cry. As the four were lined up, they stood silent and still, all earlier tears dried. Despite it all, the four held their heads high.

The seven soldiers took their places in front of the conspirators, and kneeled, raising their guns.

Emmet raised his hand to his forehead in a salute, and James, Gilly, and Juliet followed suit, the girls dipping their knees into a brief curtsey as they stared at the royals.

A terrible beauty was born, as the wind and the rain picked up, and these four stood proudly for their country, unmoving in the face of death. Excessive love bewildered them, even as they were about to die.

The haunting sound of humming drifted over to the observers, and it only took Nicole a moment to recognize the Illean National anthem. She took a shuddering breath. Even in slavery, there was the song of freedom.

"Ready-" Mitch shouted, as the execution squad sighted down their guns.

Nicole wanted to shut her eyes, but it felt wrong.

"Fire!" The guns went off.

"Reload…Fire!"

"Reload…Fire!"

"Reload…Fire!"

When it was over, the four bodies lay unmoving and still, as the rain beat down on them. Nicole expected cheering, or something, but it was silent.

…

** I actually think this chapter turned out okay, it was extremely hard to write but I've been sick for two days and haven't done much else, so I did it! Things are going to be moving pretty quickly after this chapter, and I am kind of sad to move toward the end, but it's been like two years so…**

**Anyway, I'm basing a lot of the revolution/counter-revolution stuff on the Russian revolution and civil war in 1917 and 1918, and even more on Ireland's Easter Rising of 1916 , in case you were interested!**

**Don't forget to review! (like, please) **

**-Shades**


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